A fabulous make-ahead chicken dish with a delectable sauce. Perfect for entertaining or buffet style dining.
MAKE IT AHEAD
If you’re a fan of easy, no-fuss recipes, you’ll love Tuscan Roasted Chicken Thighs. Assemble this dish ahead of time and store in a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator to marinate overnight. Then, when you’re ready to cook it, simply dump the contents into a casserole dish, sprinkle over some white wine and Parmesan bread crumbs, and stick it in the oven for about an hour. As the chicken roasts, all of the savory ingredients mingle with one another and form the most delicious sauce, which you can then spoon over the chicken prior to serving to make the already tender, juicy meat even more succulent. Be sure to serve this dish with something that can soak up all of the flavorful sauce; I recommend Lemon Rice.
CHICKEN BREASTS VS. CHICKEN THIGHS
In the past, I almost always used chicken breasts for cooking and developing recipes because somewhere along the line I heard that breast (white) meat was healthier than thigh (dark) meat, but I recently learned that that’s not necessarily the case. Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs are good sources of lean protein, and while it’s true that chicken thighs are higher in fat than breast meat, most of that fat is the “good” kind of fat known as monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats, often called “healthy fats”, can help lower your risk of heart disease, fight inflammation, and even aid in weight loss. Plus, chicken thighs are not only cheaper, and easier to cook (the higher fat content keeps them moist and makes them less likely to dry out), but they have more flavor. Once you try these Tuscan Roasted Chicken Thighs, you’ll see exactly what I mean!
SKINLESS OR SKIN-ON CHICKEN THIGHS?
This recipe for Tuscan Roasted Chicken Thighs calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you can easily substitute skinless chicken thighs. I prefer using skin-on thighs for more flavor and to keep the meat extra moist. You can cut away the skin as you’re eating if you prefer, however, similar to the breast meat vs. thigh meat myth, many health experts now agree that consuming chicken skin isn’t as bad for us as was previously thought. (Check out this article.)
MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS
For other delicious chicken dishes see Parmesan Rice Crusted Chicken Cutlets, Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Roasted Garlic, Chicken Marsala with Peas and Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Slow Cooker Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts
If you make Roasted Tuscan Chicken Thighs don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me over on Instagram @QueenofMyKitchen. I’d love to see your creation!
- 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 or 9), excess skin trimmed off
- 1 tablespoon Tuscan seasoning (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1-14 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1½ cups (3½ ounces) sliced mushrooms
- ¼ cup oil sun-dried tomatoes (from an oil packed jar)
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¼ cup rice crumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)
- Poke a few holes in each chicken thigh using the tines of a fork (this will allow the rub to better permeate the meat). Combine the Tuscan seasoning, salt, sugar, and pepper and rub all over the chicken.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large, zip-lock baggie. Add the artichoke hearts, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, and add to the baggie. Seal the baggie (pressing out all the air), and toss it around a few times to combine all the ingredients. Let marinate in the fridge overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and empty the contents of the baggie into a large casserole dish. Pour the wine over the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the crumbs and cheese on top and return to the oven for another 30-35 minutes.
- Prior to serving, sprinkle the parsley on top.
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