Tuscan Chicken Thighs

Tuscan Chicken Thighs are tender, pan-fried chicken thighs smothered in a delicious parmesan cream sauce packed with semi dried tomatoes, spinach, dijon mustard, garlic and bacon. 

Full disclosure, this is one of those recipes that you're either going to love me or hate me for... the sauce for these succulent tuscan chicken thighs is so good I could drink it. AND it's so simple and easy to make. I can see lots of this creamy tuscan sauce in our future!

And therein lies the dilemma, it's not exactly diet food BUT I totally think it's worth the calories. Plus the flavours would pair well with other proteins like lamb or beef.

The sauce is a combination of dijon mustard, semi dried tomatoes, and spinach in a rich and creamy garlic and parmesan sauce. Oh yeah - then I added bacon...the bacon takes this sauce over the top!

Why you will love these tuscan chicken thighs

• Using chicken thighs means the meat stays moist and succulent.
• The sauce is out of this world good.
• Restaurant quality food in 30 minutes.

What you need to make tuscan chicken thighs

• chicken thighs - boneless and skinless
• paprika - I used sweet
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt & pepper
• olive oil for frying
• cream
• fresh garlic
• bacon
• baby spinach
• dijon mustard
• semi dried tomatoes
• fresh parmesan

*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions

Step by step photos

1. Combine all the spices along with the salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle combined spices over both sides of the chicken thighs.
3. Fry the chicken thighs on both sides until browned (they don't need to be cooked through at this stage - they will finish cooking in the sauce) and remove to a plate.
4. Add bacon to pan and fry until starting to brown, then add garlic and continue to fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add cream to the pan, along with the baby spinach, semi dried tomatoes, dijon mustard and grated parmesan then mix to combine.
6. Add chicken thighs back to sauce mixture, and simmer over low heat until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.

Top tips

• I use semi dried tomatoes in this tuscan sauce rather than the usual sun dried tomatoes. I think they balance well with the other ingredients in the sauce. Feel free to substitute sun dried tomatoes if you enjoy them more, or if that's what you have on hand.
• You are going to get lots of flavour from the seasoning on the chicken. When you remove the chicken after frying it there should be some nice flavour spots in the bottom of the pan, these will get a little darker too when we fry the bacon. That's good! That's where the flavour is at! Make sure to scrape up these flavour spots when mixing the ingredients in the pan for the cream sauce.

Serving suggestions and ideas for add-ins

• Seasoned chargrilled (fire roasted) capsicum/peppers would be a great idea as a substitute for the semi dried tomatoes.
• I like to serve these tuscan chicken thighs with mashed potato, here is a link to my recipe for Garlic & Mustard Mashed Potatoes which would partner really well with this chicken.
• Feel like creamy tuscan chicken pasta instead? No problem, just slice the chicken (if you like) and serve it with the sauce over some fettuccine.
• You could go really low carb and serve it with some green vegetables. 
• Got any leftover sauce? Of course you don't! I made these tuscan chicken thighs for my husband and I with enough chicken for 2 portions, but enough sauce for 4 so that we have leftovers! He loves to top a thick juicy steak with this sauce.

Other recipes you may enjoy

Dijon Mustard Cream Sauce - a quick and easy creamy sauce using dijon mustard, rosemary, garlic and bacon. Perfect with a juicy steak!

No Cook Double Mustard Garlic Sauce - a super simple no cook butter sauce with mustard, garlic and chives. Just melt, mix and serve!

Chicken Tenders with Wholegrain Mustard Sauce - tender chicken wrapped in prosciutto, topped with a sage & whole grain mustard cream sauce.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Thighs

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Tuscan Chicken Thighs - tender chicken thighs smothered in a parmesan cream sauce packed with semi dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic and bacon.

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Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs skinless and boneless
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 rasher of bacon chopped
• 2 fresh garlic cloves crushed
• 300 ml cream pure cream - 35% milk fat with no thickeners
• 1½ tablespoon dijon mustard
• 60 g baby spinach roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup semi dried tomatoes chopped
• ⅓ cup grated fresh parmesan 20g

Instructions

• Combine the sweet paprika (1 tbsp), garlic powder (1 tbsp) and onion powder (½ tsp) along with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle combined spices over both sides of the chicken thighs.
• Heat the olive oil (2 tbsp) in a frypan over medium high heat, and fry the chicken thighs on both sides until browned (they don't need to be cooked through - they will finish cooking in the sauce) and then remove to a plate.
• Turn the heat down to medium low then add bacon (1 rasher - chopped) to the pan and fry until starting to brown, then add garlic (2 cloves - crushed) and continue to fry for 30 seconds.
• Add cream (300ml) to the pan, along with the baby spinach (60g - roughly chopped), semi dried tomatoes (⅓ cup - chopped), dijon mustard (1½ tbsp) and grated fresh parmesan (⅓ cup/20g) then mix to combine.
• Add chicken thighs back to sauce mixture, and simmer over low heat until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.

Notes

• I use semi dried tomatoes in this tuscan sauce rather than the usual sun dried tomatoes. I think they balance well with the other ingredients in the sauce. Feel free to substitute sun dried tomatoes if you enjoy them more, or if that's what you have on hand.
• You are going to get lots of flavour from the seasoning on the chicken. When you remove the chicken after frying it there should be some nice flavour spots in the bottom of the pan, these will get a little darker too when we fry the bacon. That's good! That's where the flavour's at! Make sure to scrape up these flavour spots when mixing the ingredients in the pan for the cream sauce.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*