Chicken with bacon cream sauce is a common and homely dish for people of all ages, that’s even better with pasta. This creamy chicken and bacon recipe will be loved by everyone who tastes it. It’s a great choice as a main or ideal for entertaining as it is simple to prepare and can be made well in advance.
Chicken With Bacon Cream Sauce
These Creamy Bacon Chicken Breasts are quick, simple, and incredibly creamy. Even better, it can all be made in one pan.
We’re here to celebrate the fact that chicken and bacon go together like chicken and bacon. This is the coziest meal you’ll ever prepare and a great addition to your regular supper menu! Observe me…
Preparing Chicken Breast (tips)
Bring your chicken to a temperature that is nearly at room temperature first. When you fry meat right out of the refrigerator, it starts to seize and release a lot of moisture. The meat consequently comes out rough and dry as a result of this. Additionally, the additional moisture will prevent you from adequately browning the chicken, resulting in flavor loss.
Butterflying each chicken breast in two to double the quantity is another preparation method. In addition to giving you a sort of two for one deal, this also makes the chicken cook through faster and more evenly.
For this one, I keep the seasoning fairly straightforward. The sauce itself is flavorful and adheres to the chicken beautifully. As a result, flavoring the chicken with simply a generous teaspoon of salt and black pepper is sufficient. Bring out the greatest qualities in the chicken without letting the sauce take center stage.
The last piece of advice is to fry in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Olive oil helps keep the butter from burning while the butter gives the chicken a wonderful flavor.
How to make Creamy Bacon Chicken
The sauce itself is an even split of chicken stock and cream. The flavour is deepened by freshly grated parmesan, alongside the fats from the bacon.
What bacon to use?
I like a thick cut streaky bacon. Choosing a thicker cut helps bulk out the dish a little more. Also opt for fattier cuts of bacon (i.e not medallions and definitely not turkey bacon). The fat helps create the base for the sauce.
Lemon Juice
I like to add a very gentle squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce. The sauce itself, as you can imagine is fairly richness. The lemon juice helps cut through the richness without altering the flavour too much. This is optional, but in all cases only 1/2-1tsp is needed.
Shallots vs Onion
Simply because they are a little sweeter than onions, I use shallots in this recipe. The richness and saltiness of the sauce are counterbalanced by this sweetness. However, the difference is negligible, so if you only have a plain white onion, use it instead. Simply allow them to slowly sweat down to bring out their inherent deliciousness.
Serving Creamy Bacon Chicken
Give the chicken a nice basting in the sauce when you’ve added it back to the pan, then serve! Here, I paired the dish with garlic green beans and salt and vinegar potatoes. Lemon potatoes pair well with this sauce since they both have a wonderful acidic/vibrant flavor. For a more herbal dish, you could alternatively use roasted baby potatoes (see all potato recipes here). The green beans might easily be substituted with roasted broccolini!
Pan-Fried Chicken with Creamy Bacon Sauce
Pan-fried chicken thighs in a creamy bacon sauce with a touch of lemon! Quick and easy recipe for skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. Low-carb and gluten-free dinner recipe.
These pan-fried chicken thighs in a creamy lemon sauce with bacon are the ideal dish for you if you want a simple chicken dinner with a delectable creamy sauce and everything cooked in one skillet!
A lemon-chicken broth with bacon is used to simmer chicken thighs for about 20 minutes, or until they are fully cooked. The chicken thighs are cooked directly in the skillet: first, they are pan-fried skin-side down to acquire that wonderful brown color on the outside. Last but not least, include cream and even more bacon. Very excellent!
What makes this chicken recipe KETO friendly
- This meal contains a high amount of fat from heavy creamy, chicken thighs, and bacon. All these ingredients have high fat, low sugar content.
- Chicken thighs are high in protein but low in carb, which makes them a fantastic choice for the KETO diet.
As it usually is the case with chicken thighs, they are best eaten right after you cook them. I find they get soggy as leftovers, even though they will still be pretty tasty! Just ate some left-over bacon chicken thighs for dinner, and I am not complaining!
Pan-Fried Chicken with Bacon Cream Sauce
Pan-fried chicken with bacon cream sauce: a low-carb, gluten-free, and KETO-friendly dinner meal. One skillet is used to cook everything. To start, pan-fry the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs until they are a lovely, golden brown color. Once they are fully cooked, boil them in a lemon-chicken broth with bacon for around 20 minutes. Add milk and even more bacon as a last step. Very excellent!
PREP TIME20 mins
COOK TIME40 mins
TOTAL TIME1 hr
COURSEMain Course
CUISINEAmerican
SERVINGS4 servings
CALORIES PER SERVING726 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 8 strips bacon , cooked, fat drained off, and chopped into small chunks – divided
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Season chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper, being sure to season underneath the skin as well. Place the skin-side down chicken thighs in the heated skillet. Cook on high-medium heat, covered, skin side down, without flipping, and checking every few minutes, for about 5-7 minutes, or until the skin side is thoroughly browned.
- Chicken should be taken out of the pan.
- To deglaze the pan, add minced garlic and a tiny quantity of chicken stock. Cook the garlic for approximately a minute. Add the final cup of chicken stock. The cooked, fat-free bacon should be cut into small chunks before adding half of it.
- In the chicken broth and on top of the bacon, add the chicken back to the pan. Place 5 thin lemon slices around the chicken thighs and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the center is no longer pink.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. It’s crucial that you remove the lemon slices from the skillet at this time; otherwise, the sauce would taste overly sour. To the skillet, add 2/3 cup heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and scraping the bottom. Reheat the chicken thighs in the skillet after reducing the heat to a simmer right away.
- Pour part of the sauce over the chicken thighs and top with the leftover chopped bacon and green onions before serving.
One Pan Creamy Bacon Chicken
This comfort food, the Creamy Bacon Chicken, has crazy flavors! The juicy chicken fillets are covered in a delectable, bacon-infused creamy sauce.
One pan, thirty minute recipe! This is an effortless weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy because the chicken fillets and the bacon sauce are cooked together in the same skillet or frying pan.
Serve this creamy chicken with a side salad and some fresh bread or over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Another chicken breast recipe 😉 what can I say? You guys love them! Every time I add one to my weekly newsletter, that is the recipe that gets the most clicks through.
And this morning’s recipe is a winner! I mean it has chicken, cream, and bacon! What isn’t better with bacon! Am I right?
Making the dish
So this is a fabulously simple recipe as long as you follow the one rule. Use bacon that has some fat to it (i.e., please don’t use turkey bacon!) and get it nice and crisp before you remove it from the pan.
Crispy bacon releases lots of bacon grease, and bacon grease is what is going to flavor the chicken and the sauce!
Like I said in my Scallop Pasta recipe, the crispy bacon is what turns this from a cream sauce to a bacon sauce, so you want to use bacon that releases some fat and gets nice and crispy!
In order to make two chicken fillets or chicken cutlets, you also need to know how to fillet a chicken breast. (Regular readers will be aware that I ALWAYS do this!)
It is a fantastic approach to reduce food waste and costs. When you divide a large chicken breast into two cutlets or fillets, they cook more rapidly and go further while maintaining their juicy texture.
Simply cutting a chicken breast in half lengthwise is known as “filleting” it! To accomplish this, set the chicken breast on a cutting board and make a cut in the centre of it, as if you were opening a book. To get a nice, even cut, keep the knife parallel to the cutting board.
Serving your chicken
We always serve this meal with pasta or rice since dishes like this truly call for something to sop up the creamy sauce.
Garlic bacon rice or herb noodles are two of our favorites. It tastes well with mashed potatoes as well. I prefer to prepare British mash for this recipe because French mashed potatoes are simply too rich for the cream sauce.
Or have a straightforward side salad and some crusty bread.
Dinner is complete after you add a glass of wine!
What wine to choose
For white wine lovers, pair this creamy bacon chicken with an unoaked Chardonnay, a crisp Pinot Grigio or a Soave. They will all cut through the richness of the sauce and stand up to the salty bacon.
Try a Pinot Noir, a Chianti, or if you can locate it, an Italian Teroldego if you prefer red wine. They are light enough to not overshadow the dish and bright enough to cut through the cream.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHICKEN
Chicken is a popular and versatile meat that provides various health benefits. Here are some of the key health benefits of chicken:
- High-quality Protein: Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues, maintaining muscle mass, and supporting immune function. Protein is also important for healthy hair, skin, and nails.
- Nutrient-rich: Chicken is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc, which are vital for optimal health. These nutrients play crucial roles in supporting brain function, promoting healthy blood cells, maintaining strong bones, and supporting the immune system.
- Low in Fat: Chicken, particularly skinless chicken breast, is relatively low in fat compared to other meats, making it a good option for those who are watching their fat intake. Choosing lean cuts of chicken and removing the skin can help reduce saturated fat intake, which can be beneficial for heart health.
- Heart Health: Chicken is a good source of several nutrients, such as vitamin B6, niacin, and selenium, which have been associated with heart health. Additionally, choosing lean cuts of chicken and cooking methods such as grilling, baking, or broiling can help reduce the fat content, making it a heart-healthy option.
- Weight Management: Chicken can be a good option for those trying to manage their weight. Protein-rich foods like chicken can help increase satiety and reduce hunger, making it easier to control portion sizes and avoid overeating. Lean cuts of chicken can be included in a healthy, balanced diet to support weight management goals.
- Boosts Immune Function: Chicken is a good source of several nutrients, such as zinc and vitamin B6, that are important for a healthy immune system. These nutrients help support immune function and may help protect against infections and diseases.
- Supports Muscle Health: Chicken is an excellent source of protein, which is crucial for muscle health. Protein is necessary for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance, making chicken a popular choice for athletes and those who engage in regular physical activity.
- Versatility: Chicken is a versatile meat that can be cooked in various ways, making it a staple ingredient in many cuisines. It can be grilled, baked, broiled, stir-fried, sautéed, or roasted, providing numerous options for delicious and healthy meals.
It’s important to note that the health benefits of chicken can vary depending on how it is prepared and cooked. Choosing lean cuts of chicken, removing the skin, and using healthy cooking methods can help maximize its health benefits. Additionally, it’s important to incorporate chicken as part of a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of foods to ensure overall nutritional adequacy. Consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian for personalized dietary reco