Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and all of the black pepper.

Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken thighs smooth side down and cook without moving them for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is deep golden brown. Flip and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes. The thighs do not need to be cooked through yet. Transfer them to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for about 60 seconds until it is fragrant and just starting to turn golden at the edges. Do not let it go dark or it will taste bitter.

Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together for about 30 seconds, letting the tomatoes soak up the garlic-flavored oil. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those bits are flavor.

Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet, along with any juices that collected on the plate. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover loosely and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F internally.

Add the baby spinach in two or three handfuls, stirring gently between additions, until it wilts into the sauce, about 2 minutes. If you are using cream cheese, drop it in now and stir until it melts into the sauce. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, taste, and adjust.

Squeeze in the lemon juice and give the pan one final stir. Serve immediately over orzo, rice, or with thick slices of sourdough to soak up the sauce.