Originally published on April 30, 2018
People often get bored with chicken. Well to be honest, I often get bored with chicken. But when that happens, I just have to remind myself that a dish doesn’t have to be about the chicken, but about the sauce you put over top of it. So when I wasn’t excited about the chicken in the fridge one night when about to make dinner, I decided not to spend too much time worrying about the meat, and changed my focus to the sauce.
I’m glad I did because this recipe for Chicken Thighs in Creamy Garlic Sauce is packed with spinach, which not only tastes good but also gets more veggies into my meal. And it all swims in cream and butter to form a beautiful sauce. This was one chicken dish that I was very excited about!
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream, warmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Sprinkle chicken thighs on both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3.) When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear for about 5 minutes, until the skin has browned and just starting to crisp. Flip chicken thighs over and sear for another 4 or 5 minutes. Place entire cast iron skillet in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes or until chicken is entirely cooked through.
4.) About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, start making the sauce. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When it’s fully melted, whisk in the flour, making sure to incorporate both ingredients. Let the flour mixture cook for about 2 minutes.
5.) Slowly add the chicken stock and cream to the flour mixture, whisking as you do to prevent lumps from forming. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper, and stir.
6.) Add the spinach to the cream mixture and stir to let wilt.
7.) Remove chicken thighs from the oven and let rest for five minutes before transferring to a platter. Pour sauce over chicken thighs.
8.) Serve and enjoy!