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Creamy Garlic Bacon Chicken Thighs

by Katerina

4.96 from 22 votes

Sep 14, 2020, Updated Oct 13, 2023

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My Creamy Garlic Bacon 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, but the smoky bacon and pungent thyme make it especially satisfying for fall.

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. So, I was thinking, “How can I take this to the next level?” And boom – it hit me. Creamy sauce, savory mushrooms, thyme, and a dash of paprika. I mixed that all in, and let me tell you, it’s incredible! You’ve got to try this. 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. It’s so good, you’ll want to lick the plate clean. 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: Don’t worry if you’re not a whiz in the kitchen. This recipe is so easy and fuss-free, ensuring you get maximum flavor with minimal effort.
• Speedy Gourmet Dinner: This delicious dish comes together in just about 30 minutes, making it a perfect choice for when you want something really good but are pressed for time.
• Flavor-Fiesta: This recipe is a flavor-packed meal with a mix of juicy chicken thighs, crispy bacon, and a garlicky, cream-based sauce that’s super tasty.

Ingredients For Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs

• Thick-Cut Bacon: This provides the base for the dish, as well as the garnish.
• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: You’ll need about 1.5 lbs.
• Spices: Dried Thyme, Sweet Paprika, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder
• Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: Using fresh as well as powdered onion and garlic add amazing depth of flavor!
• Sliced Mushrooms: Baby bella, shiitake, and button mushrooms all work great. Use what you love!
• Salt and 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.

How To Make Creamy Garlic Chicken

1. Fry the Bacon: In a large 12-inch skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, and then set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Remove from Heat and Garnish: Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley and crumbled bacon.

Tips For Success

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 it: For chicken dishes on the grill or under the broiler, leaving fat and skin on the chicken 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 Creamy 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.

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

ENJOY!

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4.96 from 22 votes

Creamy Garlic Bacon Chicken

by Katerina | Diethood

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.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

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Instructions 

• Fry the diced bacon to your desired crispness in a large, 12-inch skillet set over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Do not discard the bacon grease.
• Return the skillet with the bacon grease to the burner and set 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 continue to cook for 6 more minutes or until cooked through.
• Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet; set aside on a plate and keep covered.
• Return the skillet over 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.
• Add chicken broth and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer; continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken thighs to the skillet; continue to cook for 5 to 7 more minutes or until sauce is thickened.
• Remove from heat.
• Garnish with the cooked bacon and parsley, and serve.

Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Chef Knife
• Large Skillet
• Wooden Spoons

Notes

• Bacon: Go for thick-cut bacon to get that perfect crisp texture and rich flavor.
• 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.
• Add-ins: Feel free to add in some extra veggies like spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to add layers of flavor.
• Resting: Allow the cooked chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving. It helps in absorbing the flavors and ensures juiciness.
• Skillet: If you can, use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. It heats evenly and adds a nice sear to the chicken.
• Prep Ahead: You can cut and prepare the bacon, chicken, and veggies ahead of time to make the cooking process even faster. Keep them refrigerated in airtight containers until you are ready to cook.

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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