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CHICKEN AND POTATOES WITH GARLIC PARMESAN centered hero view, clean and uncluttered
Thomas Baker

Chicken and Potatoes with Garlic Parmesan Easy Weeknight Dinner

This Chicken and Potatoes with Garlic Parmesan recipe is a simple chicken recipe perfect for an easy dinner or family dinner on a weeknight. It features tender baked chicken thighs, flavorful baby potatoes, and spinach all smothered in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce that everyone will love.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
  • 16 ounces baby Dutch potatoes halved
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter for sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth or more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ cup half and half
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Set your oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with oil or nonstick spray.
  2. Season the chicken thighs generously with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken skin-side down for 2 to 3 minutes on each side; then remove from heat.
  4. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet, toss in the spinach, and sauté, stirring now and then, until it softens, about 2 minutes; remove from heat.
  5. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, then layer the halved potatoes and cooked spinach over the chicken.
  6. Prepare the garlic parmesan cream sauce: melt ¼ cup butter in the skillet over medium heat, stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns a light golden color, roughly 1 minute.
  8. Gradually pour in chicken broth, adding thyme and basil, whisking continuously to incorporate, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  9. Stir in half and half and Parmesan cheese, cooking until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes; add extra half and half if the sauce is too thick and season with salt and pepper.
  10. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken, potatoes, and spinach in the baking dish.
  11. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  12. Once cooked, sprinkle chopped parsley on top for garnish and serve immediately.

Notes

  • For best results, use fresh baby potatoes and freshly grated Parmesan. You can add more or less half and half to adjust the sauce consistency. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.