Baked Italian Chicken Thighs

Are you looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner? Well, how about trying this incredible Baked Italian Chicken Thighs. This chicken dish is so quick and easy to make but the best part, they are all cooked in one pan. I have a busy schedule and not much time to cook so with that I try to find recipes that I can through in one pot and forget it.

This recipe recommends an oven-proof skillet but I am using my all-purpose cooker to make this recipe. So, with that, I hope you enjoy this yummy Baked Italian Chicken thighs along with me.

Ingredients

Baked Italian Chicken Thighs
  • 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (I used the cheese in a bag)
  • 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I used a little more than it called for)
  • 3/4 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  • Combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt in a small bowl and set aside
  • Season chicken on both sides with garlic powder and salt.
  • Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs smooth-side sown in pan and brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip thighs over and remove skillet from heat. op each thigh with an equal amount of ricotta cheese mixture. Spoon Marinara sauce over the ricotta cheese and around the chicken thighs. (I just put everything right in my all-in-one pot and cooked it)
  • Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer ink in the center and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave on
  • Top chicken with Mozzarella cheese and return to the oven until the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Side Dishes to go with the Backed Italian Chicken Thighs

With my husband being a diabetic I am going to serve with grilled vegetables and small roasted red potatoes. Some other suggestions would be pasta or rice. There are so many different options on what to serve with this so use your imagination and enjoy.

*****************WINE PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS*************

Parables wine chenin blanc & viognier wine

The Best part of the Wine and Dine show is the pairing of fine wines with food. We teach you how to pair our wine with appetizers, main dishes and even desserts. With that I am going to share with you what wine to pair with my Backed Italian Chicken Thighs. So I have chosen to pair my dish with our 2021 Chenin Blanc & Viognier Wine. California Chenin blanc wines often have ripe fruit flavors and a touch of residual sugar. As with the Viognier berries are mid-to-late-ripening. With that they often produce wines with a deep golden color. Viognier wines tend to be full-bodied with some texture and relatively high in alcohol (which accentuates the palate-weight of the wine).

So, with the combination of the Chenin Blanc & Viognier Wine I am looking for it to bring out the flavors of the ricotta cheese and the marinara sauce along with the spices. You can also pair it with spicy food, a frittata with sweet onions and ricotta, or a shrimp and avocado tostada. This is a first for me and cannot wait to try this amazing wine with my Chicken. Hope you all enjoy our wine and dine show and some amazing wine pairings.

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible – the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family. By Virginia Satir