Comfort foodies unite! Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Bacon is a guilt-free decadent delight. No thickeners or stabilizers here. Just real, whole ingredients – chicken, bacon, mushrooms – in a tangy cream sauce with lemon, and garlic. Keep it low carb or keto with cauliflower, or plate it with pasta for a more indulgent dinner.
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Forget stories about rotary phones and mix tapes, or walking to school up a hill (both ways), in the snow. I want to talk childhood dining experiences.
Kids these days don’t know what it was like. When I tell you choices were limited and that any meal not cooked in the kitchen – be it dine-in or takeout – was capital-S Special, I mean it.
In our single-digit-age eyes, the HEIGHT of luxury in the late 20th Century was a birthday dinner at TGI Fridays, and the height of the height of luxury was anything smothered in cream sauce. I couldn’t tell you the first time I had a creamy chicken dish, but I know it must have been there amongst the “flair.” (And it was probably served in a sizzling skillet that would take the skin right off your hand if you touched it.)
We were not cream sauce people at home. Macaroni and Cheese? Sure, in a blue box. An occasional alfredo, but not like legacy chain alfredo, which was essentially liquid cheese. By the time 2000 rolled around, everyone had creamy chicken everything (a.k.a. “three-cheese”), then it was creamy shrimp and smothered steak, and not only was it not special anymore, frankly, it was kind of gross.
Until today! Apparently, “90s comfort food” is making a “comeback.” So let’s feed our inner children once more with something less viscous and more carb-conscious. This keto-friendly creamy chicken mushroom recipe is a totally rad throwback. One bite and you’ll be right back in that 3-story phone booth, next to the antelope head.
For a condensed post with just the ingredients and step-by-step instructions, click to view the web story for this keto chicken breast recipe.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Bacon
When I say creamy, you say chicken! Never boring, never bland, this Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Bacon is an easy, wholesome “restaurant replica” that’s loaded with flavor, not fillers. Lemon and garlic bring the perfect hit of acid to a smooth cream sauce. Ready to serve with your favorite pasta or veggies in about 45 minutes.
- COOK BACON. Cook bacon until crisp. Place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Save fat in pan.
- PREP CHICKEN. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness, then season liberally.
- BROWN CHICKEN. Brown the chicken in the rendered bacon fat on both sides, then remove and set aside.
- SAUTE MUSHROOMS. Add butter to the same pan and saute the mushrooms until golden brown and crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- MAKE SAUCE BASE. Saute the garlic until fragrant, then add broth and lemon juice to the pan to deglaze (aka, scrape up the browned bits and make sure the bottom of the pan is “clean”). Simmer the sauce until reduced by half (about 5 minutes).
- FINSH SAUCE. Add the heavy cream, then whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a low simmer (NOT a boil!).
- FINISH CHICKEN. Return the mushrooms and bacon to the sauce and stir. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and simmer until cooked through (165°F), 3-4 minutes more.
Chef’s Tips!
- Cook the chicken to at least 165°F – check the temperature using an instant read thermometer.
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness – they’ll cook evenly, and the pounding will help tenderize chicken breasts.
- Take the time to saute the mushrooms properly – golden brown crispy mushrooms make a world of difference to the flavor! Read our complete guide on how to cook mushrooms for everything you need to know about sautéing them!
Serve it With
Keep it Keto: Serve over riced or mashed cauliflower; or, choose an easy air fryer veggie to save time while you’re cooking, like broccoli, asparagus, or zucchini.
Carb it Up: There’s enough pan sauce to go ’round, so serve it over pasta – short (penne, cavatappi, gemelli) or long (fettucine or linguine) – or with risotto. Don’t forget your favorite crusty bread for cleaning up the plate!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Do trim any large fat deposits before browning, as they tend to get gummy when pan seared. I’ve also used chicken tenderloins with great results (be sure to sear in batches).
This sauce doesn’t need a thickener to get rich and creamy! I do find that using homemade chicken bone broth makes a slight difference, but store-bought is totally fine!
Creamy Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
Did you make this creamy mushroom chicken recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1.5 lb chicken breast, pounded thin
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 c chicken broth
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 c heavy cream
Instructions
- Place bacon into a 12” skillet. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set onto a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Place a chicken breast onto a piece of parchment paper, then fold the paper over the chicken. Lightly pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin until the chicken is an even thickness. Repeat with all chicken breasts. Season the chicken with italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on both sides.
- Add the chicken to the pan with the rendered bacon fat and cook 4 minutes; flip and cook an additional 4 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Add the butter and heat until it melts then foams. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat in the fat, and saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and turn golden brown around the edges. Remove mushrooms using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the garlic and saute, stirring continuously, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan and gently scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and whisk for 30 seconds, until smooth. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then add the bacon and mushrooms and stir into the sauce. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and simmer until cooked through (165°F), 3-4 minutes more.
Samual
Stumbled upon this recipe as I searched for something to make with the chicken, bacon, nad mushrooms I had sitting around. A quick check of the secondary ingredient and I did not even need a trip to the store! What luck!…..
Because this was really good! Super simple to prepare and easy to make. It paired nice with some green beans and was served over long grain rice. Will make again!
Megan
Hands down my favorite meal! Absolutely delicious (even with garlic removed as allergic)!