Baked Italian Chicken Thighs

These juicy Italian chicken thighs are topped with a flavorful blend of 3 cheeses and your favorite marinara sauce. Serve over pasta or rice or alongside roasted potatoes for a tasty weeknight meal. I like to shred my own cheese, as I find it melts better, but feel free to use pre-shredded to save time.


European · Italian · Main Dishes · Chicken


Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4
Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

Ingredients List

  • ½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese

  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • salt to taste

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 ½ cups marinara sauce

  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (Optional)


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  2. Combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

  3. Season chicken thighs on both sides with garlic powder and salt.

  4. Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken thighs, smooth-side down, in hot oil until the bottoms are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip thighs over and remove the skillet from heat. Top each thigh with an equal amount of ricotta cheese mixture. Spoon marinara sauce on top and around chicken thighs.

  5. Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers of thighs should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

  6. Top each thigh with mozzarella cheese and continue baking until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley to serve.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Nutrition Facts
378 Calories
23g Fat
14g Carbs
28g Protein


Prev   Next