Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs
Sep 14, 2020, Updated Jan 31, 2026
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My creamy garlic chicken thighs recipe is a sizzling blend of herbs, spices, and tender chicken, all cooked in a deliciously indulgent, creamy bacon sauce! This dish is fantastic anytime, and the smoky bacon and meaty mushrooms make it especially delicious.
Creamy Garlic Chicken Recipe with Bacon
Hey, friends! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the epic combo that is chicken and bacon and cream? They’re the dynamic trio of the food world. One of my all-time favorite dishes is this fantastic garlic sauce chicken, but I’ve found a way to make it even more amazing.
Creamy sauce, savory mushrooms, thyme, and a dash of paprika delivered perfection, and you’ve got to try it. Seriously, it’s creamy mushroom-and-bacon goodness, draped over juicy chicken thighs. It’s all your favorite flavors hanging out in one dish, ready to rock the dinner table. Whether you’re serving it up with mashed cauliflower or some good ol’ buttered egg noodles, it’s a winner.
Why You Should Make This Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Easy-Peasy Cooking: This recipe is so simple, and you get maximum flavor with minimal effort.
- Speedy Gourmet Dinner: You’ll have a restaurant-quality dinner on the table in just about 30 minutes! This delicious chicken thighs recipe is a perfect choice for when you want something really good but are pressed for time.
- Flavor-Fiesta: The recipe is a flavor-packed meal featuring juicy chicken, crispy bacon, tender mushrooms, and a garlicky, cream-based sauce that’s really tasty.
Ingredients For Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Thick-cut bacon: You can also use regular bacon, but the thick cut is a better choice for texture.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Chicken breasts work too! I walk through how to cook them in my stovetop chicken breasts recipe.
- Seasonings: I used dried thyme, sweet paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, but don’t feel locked in! You can use whatever spices and herbs you love.
- Yellow onion and fresh garlic: Using fresh as well as powdered onion and garlic adds amazing depth of flavor!
- Sliced mushrooms: Baby bella, shiitake, and button mushrooms all work great. Use what you love!
- Salt and black pepper
- Heavy cream: This essential ingredient gives a luscious texture and flavor to the sauce.
- Chicken broth: Another essential flavor base, so use a good quality brand. I like free range organic broth. You can also use vegetable broth.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley: for garnish.
Recipe Tips
I love cooking with chicken thighs because they are very forgiving and don’t dry out easily. Follow these tips to make the most out of these versatile lovelies!
- Bacon: Go for thick-cut bacon to get that perfect crisp texture and rich flavor.
- Cooking chicken thighs: When cooking chicken, you don’t want to cook it until it’s dried out, rubbery, and chewy. Use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness – chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
- Trim the fat: For chicken dishes on the grill or under the broiler, leaving the fat and skin on is great, but in a saucy dish like this, it’s best to trim away any excess fat or skin because it won’t crisp up well in liquid.
- Season to taste: One thing that professional chefs do is taste, and taste, and taste again. I recommend seasoning the chicken before placing it in the pan, but then tasting it once it’s cooked, and again once it’s in the sauce, to make sure the seasoning is on point.
- Don’t rush: Let the sauce simmer well to thicken it and enhance the flavors. Avoid hurrying through this step to achieve the perfect creamy texture and taste.
What To Serve With Chicken Thighs
- Apples: You know what else goes great with chicken and bacon? Apples! I love serving this dish with a fall-tastic side like Brussels sprouts salad with apples and candied walnuts or a scrumptious apple dessert like my easy apple crumble.
- Green Veggies: How about something green? My easy roasted green beans are a simple side you can whip up with minimal effort, as are these air fryer roasted broccoli.
- Mashed Taters: Savor the sauce with a comforting side of mashed potatoes, air fryer smashed potatoes, or my Instant Pot mashed cauliflower.
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Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs
Creamy Garlic Chicken is one delicious dish prepared with boneless chicken thighs in a creamy sauce full of mushrooms, aromatics, and herbs and topped with crispy bacon crumbles.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 6 (about 1.5 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces sliced fresh baby portobello mushrooms
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Fry the diced bacon to your desired crispness in a large, 12-inch skillet set over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon from the skillet to a paper towel-lined plate. Do not discard the bacon grease.
- Cook the chicken. Return the skillet with the bacon grease to the burner and set it over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add the chicken thighs to the hot skillet and cook for 6 minutes or until you can easily flip over the chicken. Flip and cook for 6 more minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet; set aside on a plate and keep covered.
- Sauté the aromatics and mushrooms. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the diced onion; cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Combine. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the heavy cream, then bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet and continue cooking for 5 to 7 more minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Garnish with the cooked bacon and parsley, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Bacon: Go for thick-cut bacon to get that perfect crisp texture.
- Season To Taste: Adjust the spices according to your preference. If you want a bit more kick, consider increasing the amount of garlic or paprika.
- Don’t Rush: Let the sauce simmer to thicken and enhance the flavors.
- Resting: Allow the cooked chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving. It helps absorb flavors and ensure juiciness.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How To Make Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Fry the Bacon: In a large 12-inch skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, and then set aside.
- Cook the Chicken Thighs: The chicken thighs are cooked in the leftover bacon grease for about 6 minutes per side, until done through. Set aside.
- Create the Sauce: In the same skillet, cook the onions, garlic, and mushrooms until soft and fragrant. Add the chicken broth, stirring well to scrape up any browned bits and incorporate them into the sauce. Finally, stir in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Return Chicken to Skillet: Add the chicken thighs back to the skillet. You can leave them whole, or cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from Heat and Garnish: Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley and crumbled bacon.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover chicken in the sauce in a tightly-covered container. This dish will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended, as the sauce will “break” when defrosted.
- To reheat, place leftover chicken with sauce in a skillet or saucepan. Cover and place over low to medium heat until the sauce is almost bubbling and the chicken is heated through. Do not overcook.
More Chicken Thighs Recipes
- Skillet Garlic and Rosemary Chicken Thighs
- Curry Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs
- Stove Top Chicken Thighs
Can this be made ahead and kept in a warm oven till serving?
Hi!
Yes, but only for a short time at a low temp (around 200°F). Leaving it too long can overcook the chicken, so it’s best served fairly soon after cooking.