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Creamy Baked Chicken Thighs

Creamy baked chicken thighs are roasted until juicy, then finished in a thick cream-and-parmesan sauce with mushrooms. The chicken skin goes golden during searing, and the sauce lightly caramelizes at the edges while baking.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs for the sauce coverage.
cream sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 onion, diced Use about 1/2 onion.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning for even flavor.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil and butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until the skin is golden, then remove to a plate.
Build the mushroom cream sauce
  1. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms release moisture.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then stir in the parmesan and dried thyme. Bring to a simmer so the sauce looks smooth and slightly thickened.
Bake and finish
  1. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up in the cream sauce. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to 165F and the sauce has thickened.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Serve with the bubbling cream sauce from the skillet.

Notes

For the best texture, let the seared chicken rest briefly while you simmer the sauce so it starts baking immediately without steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, keeping the simmer just until thickened.