You can serve this flavorful skillet dinner of creamy bacon chicken with mashed potatoes and roasted green beans. The bacon flavor is present in every bite because bacon drippings are used to make the roux for the sauce.
Creamy Bacon Chicken
I take full advantage of any chance to create a roux using bacon drippings. Every bite has the ideal amount of flavorful bacon thanks to this! Over some creamy mashed potatoes or even baked potatoes with roasted vegetables, this sauce is delicious.
How to Make It
Put the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
The bacon should be divided into thirds and cooked in a skillet over low heat until crispy. Once the bacon has cooled, chop it roughly and reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
Chicken should be cut into three thinner pieces. Add Italian seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with flour. For 4-5 minutes per side, or until a golden crust forms, sear in olive oil. Set aside.
To the skillet, you used to cook the chicken, add the garlic and bacon fat. The pan's bottom can be "cleaned" using a silicone spatula. For two minutes, continuously stir while adding the flour. Sprinkle in the sauce mixture while continuously stirring.
Bring to a boil before simmering. The sauce should simmer until it is almost at the desired thickness. If desired, turn down the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Place the chicken back in the dish and top with sauce. After about five minutes of complete heating, garnish with chopped bacon and fresh parsley. Include mashed potatoes and roasted green beans in the serving.
Tips For Searing the Chicken
- For an even sear and golden color throughout the cooking process, slightly adjust the heat up and down.
- We want some brown remnants—not any black—to remain in the pot.
- Instead of cooking chicken at an extremely high temperature that can result in burning and oil splatter, I would rather cook it at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time. The heat should be set to medium-high and reduced slightly as needed. You can always raise it again in the future.
- The chicken should not be moved while it is still forming a crispy crust if it is sticking to the pan. Avoid tearing the chicken's skin by letting it release naturally.
Storage
For up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer, store in an airtight container.
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Creamy Bacon Chicken
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup heavy cream
Chicken
- 6 strips thick cut bacon, high quality
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- Salt/Pepper
- ½ cup + 3 Tablespoons Flour, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Optional
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
Prep Work:
- Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Prepare the Bacon:
- Cut bacon into thirds and cook in a large skillet over low heat until crispy on each side. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 3 Tablespoons clear drippings to make the roux. Roughly chop the bacon once cooled.
Prepare the Chicken:
- While the bacon cooks, slice the chicken to create 2-3 thinner slices. Place the chicken in a gallon freezer bag (or in between saran wrap) and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick. Pat completely dry.
- Season with Italian seasoning and salt/pepper. Place ½ cup flour on a plate and dredge each side of the chicken. Tap off excess.
- Heat olive oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium-high heat. Sear 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside. Wipe any black residue from the pan but leave the brown remnants as this will add flavor to the sauce.
Make the Sauce:
- Add the garlic and reserved bacon drippings to the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in. (Note: 3 tablespoons of butter can be used instead, or a combination of both if you don’t have enough drippings.) Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
- Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. (If you add it too quickly, the roux will “break” and the sauce will be thin.)
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer until it’s near your desired level of thickness.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so, uncovered.
- Top with chopped bacon and fresh parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted green beans.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Gruyere cheese can be used instead of Parmesan for a little gourmet flair. The cheese can also be left out completely if preferred.
- Consider using low sodium chicken broth to control the sodium content. You can also omit the bouillon but it does add a nice depth of flavor.
- If using smaller chicken breasts, consider using 3-4 instead of 2 large.
- Greens and Beans make a great side dish with this, along with homemade mashed potatoes!
Tips For Searing the Chicken
- Adjust the heat up and down slightly throughout the cooking process for a nice even sear and golden color.
- I would rather cook chicken at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time than at a super high temperature that can cause burning and oil splatter.
- If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it's not ready to be moved and is still developing a crispy crust. Allow it to release on it's own to avoid tearing the surface of the chicken.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- This meal does freeze well. I reheat from frozen in the microwave, you can also thaw overnight and reheat leftovers in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350 ° for 20-25 minutes.
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