Alright, so today I’m gonna walk you through how I whipped up this Tuscan Chicken Casserole. It’s one of those dishes that sounds a bit fancy, but honestly, it’s pretty straightforward once you get going. I was craving something hearty and comforting, and this definitely hit the spot.
Getting Started – The Prep
First things first, I got my chicken out. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because, let’s be real, they have more flavor and don’t dry out like breasts sometimes do. I just chopped them into bite-sized pieces. Nothing too precise, just rough chunks.
Then, I seasoned them. Salt, pepper, a bit of garlic powder, and some Italian seasoning – the usual suspects. I tossed them around in a bowl to make sure every piece got some love.
Next up, the veggies. I grabbed an onion and minced it. And garlic, of course. Can’t have Tuscan anything without a good amount of garlic. I think I used about three cloves, maybe four? Just smashed and minced them.
I also had a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Those things are flavor bombs. I drained them and gave them a rough chop. And spinach! A big bag of fresh spinach. It looks like a mountain, but it wilts down to almost nothing, you know how it is.
Cooking It Up
Okay, so I got my big oven-safe skillet – a cast iron one works great for this. Heated up a bit of olive oil. Once it was hot, I threw in the chicken. The goal here wasn’t to cook it all the way through, just to get some nice brown color on all sides. So, a few minutes, stirring it around. Then I scooped the chicken out and set it aside on a plate.
In the same skillet, with all those nice chickeny bits left behind, I added a little more oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. Extra flavor, right? Then I tossed in the chopped onion. Cooked that for a few minutes until it started to soften up. Then, in went the garlic for about a minute – gotta be careful not to burn the garlic, that stuff turns bitter fast.
Once the kitchen started smelling amazing, I added the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stirred them in. Then, I started adding the spinach, handful by handful. Like I said, it looks like way too much, but it wilts down super quick. Just keep stirring it until it’s all wilted and dark green.
Making the Sauce and Bringing it Together
Alright, sauce time. This is where the magic happens. I poured in some heavy cream. Yeah, heavy cream. We’re not messing around here. Then some chicken broth to thin it out a bit and add more flavor. I also grated a good amount of Parmesan cheese right into the skillet. And a pinch of red pepper flakes for a tiny bit of a kick, but that’s optional.
I let that simmer for a few minutes, stirring it so the Parmesan melted in and the sauce thickened up a little. Tasted it for seasoning – always taste your food! Added a bit more salt and pepper.
Then, I added the cooked chicken back into the skillet with all its juices. Stirred everything together so the chicken was nicely coated in that creamy, dreamy sauce.
Baking Time and The Glorious Result
Now, if your skillet isn’t oven-safe, you’d transfer all this goodness to a baking dish. Mine is, so I just spread everything out evenly. I decided to sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top, because why not? More cheese is rarely a bad idea.
Then, into a preheated oven it went. I think I had it at around 375°F (that’s about 190°C). Baked it for maybe 20-25 minutes. Basically, until it was hot and bubbly and the top was getting a little golden brown.
When I pulled it out, man, it smelled incredible. The sauce was all thick and luscious, the chicken was tender. I let it sit for a few minutes before serving because it’s molten hot right out of the oven.
And that’s pretty much it! Served it up, some people like it over pasta or with crusty bread to sop up that sauce. I just ate a big bowl of it on its own. Super satisfying, and really not that much hassle when you break it down. Definitely making this again.
