Description
Hearty Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms brings comfort and elegance to weeknight dinners, blending rich flavors with simple ingredients. Silky sauce and tender chicken create a delightful meal you can savor without complicated cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 0.5 lb bacon, chopped
Vegetables and Fungi:
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare chicken breasts by patting them dry with paper towels and seasoning generously with salt and pepper.
- Slice bacon into small pieces and crisp in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden and rendered, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Remove bacon using a slotted spoon, leaving rendered fat in the pan, and set crispy bits aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- In the same skillet, sear chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, then transfer to a clean plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and sauté diced onions and minced garlic in remaining bacon fat until translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet, cooking until they release moisture and become tender and lightly caramelized, roughly 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture, stirring continuously to create a light roux and prevent clumping.
- Pour chicken broth and heavy cream into the skillet, whisking constantly to create a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Stir in dried thyme, butter, and additional salt and pepper, allowing sauce to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Return chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy mushroom sauce, and spoon sauce over the top.
- Garnish with crispy bacon pieces and freshly chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Select boneless, skinless chicken breasts of uniform thickness to ensure even cooking and prevent dry edges.
- Pat chicken completely dry before seasoning to achieve a perfect golden-brown sear and develop rich caramelized flavor.
- Use thick-cut bacon for extra crispiness and more rendered fat, which adds deep savory undertones to the entire dish.
- Choose cremini or shiitake mushrooms for a more robust, earthy flavor profile that complements the creamy sauce.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder when thickening the sauce.
- Prevent sauce from breaking by maintaining a gentle simmer and avoiding high heat when adding dairy components.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 624
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 879 mg
- Fat: 47 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 158 mg