• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Julia's Album
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Subscribe
  • Save Recipes!
  • About
  • Salads
  • Pasta
  • Chicken
  • Seafood
  • All Main Courses
  • Latest Recipes
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Subscribe
    • Save Recipes!
    • About
    • Salads
    • Pasta
    • Chicken
    • Seafood
    • All Main Courses
    • Latest Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Baked Chicken Thighs and Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

    By Julia | Updated: Jun 11, 2018 | Published: Oct 21, 2016 | 22 Comments

    8.1K shares
    • Facebook420
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Baked Chicken Thighs and Sweet Potatoes with Spinach in creamy Parmesan Sauce. Easy, gluten free recipe for skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs.

    baked chicken thighs and potatoes, spinach, Fall, holiday recipes, holiday dinner, Thanksgiving

     

    Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Spinach in a creamy Parmesan Sauce - moist and tender chicken thighs smothered in a super creamy sauce.  Great weeknight dinner recipe that a whole family will love!   This recipe is a great choice if you're looking for new ways to incorporate sweet potatoes into savory recipes.

    baked chicken and potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, parmesan cream sauce, Thanksgiving dish

    Not only did I enjoy this dish for several nights this week, this chicken + sweet potatoes will make a great holiday recipe, too, and will look great on your Thanksgiving dinner table!  Either way, it's a great recipe during the Fall/Winter season, when the sweet potatoes abound, and when you want cozy comfort food on those cold nights.

    chicken thighs dinner, how to cook chicken, easy chicken dinners

    How to cook chicken thighs and sweet potatoes

    Start by browning chicken thighs on the skillet on the stove top:

    brown chicken thighs in a large skillet in olive oil with salt and pepper

    Chop up the sweet potatoes and add them to the 9 x 13 baking dish:

    add chopped sweet potatoes to a baking dish

    Add creamy Parmesan sauce + spinach:

    add creamy sauce and spinach to chopped sweet potatoes in baking dish

    Add chicken thighs on top:

    add chicken thighs on top of creamy Parmesan sauce, chopped potatoes, and spinach in a baking dish

    Bake for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender:

    bake chicken thighs with chopped sweet potatoes and spinach in the oven

    4.60 from 10 votes

    Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

    Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Spinach baked in creamy Parmesan Sauce. Easy, gluten free recipe for skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories per serving 457 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 6 chicken thighs , skin-on, bone-in
    • salt and pepper
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 garlic cloves , minced
    • 1 cup half and half
    • ½ cup Parmesan , shredded
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 6 oz baby spinach
    • 2 sweet potatoes large, cut in 1 inch cubes
    • 1 tablespoon butter

    Instructions 

    • Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
    • Generously season both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in the the chicken thighs, skin side down.
    • Fry the chicken until the skin is very crisp, about 5 minutes. Then, flip the chicken over to the other side, turn off the heat and let the chicken brown on the other side, off heat, uncovered. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Drain the fat from the pan, clean it, and place back on the stove.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan, add minced garlic, and cook, stirring until garlic is fragrant, about 30 or 45 seconds. Add 1 cup half and half to the pan. Bring to boil. Add shredded Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir to melt. Immediately reduce to simmer. Add fresh spinach on top of the sauce, cover with the lid, and remove the pan from the heat - let the spinach wilt on its own, off heat, covered. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit more of half and half. Stir the spinach in the sauce.
    • In the mean time, cut sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes.
    • Grease the bottom of 9x13 baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Place cubed sweet potatoes evenly on the bottom of the pan. Pour the creamy Parmesan and spinach sauce on top. Add chicken thighs on top, skin side up.
    • Bake the chicken in the oven at 400 F for about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until the potatoes and the chicken thighs are cooked through.
    • Remove from the oven and serve.

    Notes

    Adapted from Damn Delicious and The Kitchen Magpie

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    457
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    34
    g
    52
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    11
    g
    69
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    136
    mg
    45
    %
    Sodium
     
    397
    mg
    17
    %
    Potassium
     
    603
    mg
    17
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    12
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    24
    g
    48
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    9160
    IU
    183
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    10
    mg
    12
    %
    Calcium
     
    195
    mg
    20
    %
    Iron
     
    1.9
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword baked chicken thighs, chicken and sweet potatoes
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Flower Garden at Bed & Breakfast in Maine
    Cilantro Lime Potato Salad »
    8.1K shares
    • Facebook420

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Submit your question or provide a review of the recipe + star rating RIGHT HERE. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. deb

      October 11, 2021 at 8:59 am

      Could I use drumsticks in this recipe.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 11, 2021 at 9:10 pm

        Yes, you can! I think chicken drumsticks will be the perfect substitution for chicken thighs.

        Reply
    2. JANE PATTEN

      September 20, 2021 at 12:47 am

      does the finished dish reheat or freeze well as I need to make it a couple of days early?

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 22, 2021 at 3:43 pm

        Yes, this dish keeps well refrigerated or frozen!

        Reply
    3. Judy

      October 23, 2020 at 8:19 pm

      I’m making this for dinner tonight! Looks yummy!!

      Reply
    4. Donna K Friese

      August 18, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      Can I substitute the spinach with broccoli?

      Reply
    5. Anne

      March 24, 2020 at 10:56 pm

      Totally yum!! Thank you. Used mostly milk and it was still really good.

      Reply
    6. W

      January 30, 2019 at 5:55 am

      I made this recipe with pork chops and it was great!

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 31, 2019 at 7:52 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    7. Kate Powell

      April 02, 2018 at 8:14 pm

      I tried to "skinny it down". I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and instead of the Half & Half I used coconut milk. It was fantastic!

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 06, 2018 at 4:57 pm

        Thank you for sharing your feedback! So good to know this recipe worked with boneless skinless chicken breasts and with coconut milk instead of half and half.

        Reply
    8. Chelsea

      March 07, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      I made this recipe with pork chops and it was awesome! Great Recipe!

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 11, 2017 at 12:02 am

        Thank you, Chelsea! Good to know that the recipe work with the pork chops!

        Reply
      • linda mewborn

        October 28, 2024 at 8:57 pm

        Excellent! I did use boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced in half length wise.

        Reply
        • Julia

          November 10, 2024 at 12:43 am

          So glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it, Linda!

          Reply
    9. Margaret

      March 04, 2017 at 9:26 am

      The half and half and parmesan separated and looked as if they had curdled. I think I followed the directions carefully. Any thoughts?

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 11, 2017 at 1:00 am

        Did you add olive oil and butter and garlic to the pan and sautéed the garlic before adding the half and half? Once you added the half and half, did you bring it to boil before adding the cheese? Sometimes the cheese separation can occur if there is not enough fat content in the sauce and if the pan is not hot enough. That's why it's important to sauté the garlic in butter and olive oil first, then add half and half and bring everything to boil, add the cheese, reduce to simmer, and stir to melt the cheese - that heats up both the pan and the liquids.

        Reply
    10. Pinterest

      December 27, 2016 at 7:37 pm

      The 4 cloves of garlic were left out of the instructions yet included in the ingredient list.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 02, 2017 at 11:36 pm

        Thank you - I have corrected the recipe.

        Reply
    11. Mag

      December 23, 2016 at 5:25 am

      May I know what is "1 cup half and half" please? Thanks

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 02, 2017 at 11:47 pm

        Half and half is the US milk product that combines half milk half cream to form a lighter cream (unlike heavy cream). To make 1 cup of half and half, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup regular cream (heavy, or whipping cream).

        Reply
    12. Platt College

      October 22, 2016 at 10:58 pm

      Sweet potatoes are a super food and super tasty too!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

    Connect with Julia on Social Media:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    Get Julia's new recipes by e-mail:
    Subscribe by E-mail

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy and Disclosure

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Affiliate Disclosure

    About

    • About
    • Featured On
    • Contact Me

    Connect on Social Media

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Copyright © 2012-2025 JuliasAlbum.com

    Site Design: Foodie Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required