Ingredients
Method
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Bring the chicken thighs to room temperature, then pat them very dry with paper towels. This step is important because dry chicken skin gets much crispier in the oven.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and cracked black pepper. Set it aside while you prepare the stuffing and marinade.
Step 2: Make the Creamy Spinach Stuffing
- Add the softened cream cheese, chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, ½ tsp of the Zesty Italian seasoning, Italian seasoning, lemon zest and Pecorino Romano to a mixing bowl.
- Mix everything together until the ingredients are evenly incorporated throughout the cream cheese.
Step 3: Make the Italian Marinade
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, tomato paste, garlic paste, Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, crushed red pepper flakes, parsley, Pecorino Romano and the rest of the packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix.
- Keep whisking until the tomato paste and chicken base are completely blended into the marinade.
Step 4: Prepare the Potatoes and Onions
- Arrange the sliced russet potatoes and onions inside a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Drizzle a small amount of the Italian marinade over the potatoes and onions. Toss everything together until the vegetables are lightly coated, then spread them into an even layer.
- You only need enough marinade to coat the potatoes and onions lightly because the rest will be poured over the chicken.
Step 5: Stuff the Chicken Thighs
- Carefully loosen the skin from each chicken thigh with your fingers, creating a pocket without completely removing the skin.
- Add a few tablespoons of the creamy spinach mixture underneath the skin of each thigh. Gently spread the mixture across the top of the chicken meat, then pull the skin back over the stuffing.
- Do not overstuff the chicken or the filling may spill out too much while it cooks.
Step 6: Assemble the Dish
- Place the stuffed chicken thighs skin-side up over the potatoes and onions.
- Pour the remaining Italian marinade evenly over the chicken, potatoes and onions. Make sure some of that delicious marinade gets over each chicken thigh, but keep the thighs skin-side up so the skin can roast properly.
Step 7: Roast the Chicken
- Bake the chicken uncovered at 375°F for about 1 hour on the middle rack of the oven, until the chicken is fully cooked, the skin is golden and the potatoes are tender.
- During the second half of cooking, baste the chicken once or twice with the marinade and pan juices from the bottom of the baking dish.
- The thickest part of the chicken should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F, without the thermometer touching the bone.
Step 8: Brown the Potatoes
- Once the chicken is cooked, carefully transfer the thighs to a platter and loosely cover them with foil.
- Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Return the potatoes and onions to the oven for another 7–10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and caramelized.
- Keep an eye on them because the marinade can brown quickly at the higher temperature.
Step 9: Serve!
- Allow the chicken to rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Spoon the roasted potatoes, onions and plenty of those delicious Italian pan juices onto each plate. Place a stuffed chicken thigh over the top and serve!