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This creamy bacon chicken recipe is a decadent and delicious dinner that’s easy enough for a weeknight and tasty enough for company. It’s ready in about 30 minutes!
You may also like my Creamy Bacon Pork Chops or Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
I probably don’t have to convince you too much, but chicken with bacon and cream is a great combo! The chicken is pan-fried until golden brown on the outside. When you take a bite, it melts in your mouth. And the bacon… well, it makes everything even better.
My vegetarian sister actually came up with the idea for this creamy chicken recipe, and you’ll be glad she did. It’s simple comfort food with few ingredients, and the technique is really easy. The creamy bacon sauce is so good that family and friends will lick their plates clean!
What you’ll need
- Bacon – the star of the sauce! We’re also browning the chicken in bacon grease to make it extra delicious.
- Chicken – we’re using two chicken breasts cut lengthwise into four thinner cutlets. They stay more tender and cook faster this way.
- Flour – for dredging and getting that gorgeous golden crust
- Garlic powder and pepper – seasoning the cutlets directly infuses lots of savory flavor
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Lemon juice – a touch of brightness to balance out the sauce and make it less one-dimensional
- Butter and heavy cream – this duo makes the sauce luxurious and buttery
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- An instant read thermometer is the best way to ensure chicken isn’t overcooked or undercooked. You want that perfect 165F.
- I like this butter dish to store my butter in since it has handy markings for measuring where to cut.
- This Le Creuset skillet is the one I use.
How to make creamy bacon chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut up the bacon, and fry until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, leaving behind some of the fat. Meanwhile, cut the chicken in half, then season with garlic powder and pepper. Dredge in flour. Brown the chicken, then transfer to a plate.
Add the broth, lemon, and butter to the skillet. Let it reduce by half. Stir in the cream. Once bubbling, return the chicken and bacon, and simmer until it’s cooked through and the sauce has thickened up as desired. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
Pro Tip
Depending on how deep of a sear you get on the chicken, the sauce may be lighter or darker in color. That’s totally fine!
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the heavy cream for something with a lower fat content because the taste, richness, and texture just can’t be matched, and it’s also less likely to curdle. Half-and-half will yield a watery sauce, and coconut milk will alter the flavor.
- You could try chicken thighs, but you will have to adjust the cooking time as needed. They may take a little longer.
- Throw in a handful of spinach near the end of the cooking time for a pop of freshness!
What to serve with bacon chicken
- Complement this chicken with some vegetables to balance the creaminess. Try my Easy Roasted Green Beans or Easy Roasted Cauliflower.
- The sauce is scrumptious over a pile of Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Red Potatoes. Pasta works too, as does rice. My Stick of Butter Rice is a fun way to change it up.
- Craving a salad with it? My Homemade Italian Dressing is the perfect pairing.
Leftovers and storage
- If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a low heat (slowly) in a saucepan until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing creamy chicken recipes.
More easy chicken recipes
If you made this chicken with a bacon cream sauce, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Creamy Bacon Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Flour for dredging
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
Instructions
- Cut the bacon up and add it to a skillet (I use kitchen shears to make this job quick). Fry it over medium-high heat until crispy (about 10 mins). Once the bacon is done, take it out of the pan and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
- Meanwhile, prep your chicken (cut it in half lengthwise so you have 4 smaller cutlets). Sprinkle them with the garlic powder and pepper and then coat them in the flour.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook it in the remaining bacon fat over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes/side or until it's golden. If it starts to splatter a lot, reduce the heat. Once the chicken is browned, take it out of the pan and set it aside.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and butter to the pan. Let it bubble until it's reduced by half (about 3-4 minutes).
- Stir in the cream and once it starts to bubble, add the chicken and bacon back into the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has reduced to your liking.
Notes
- The 5 minutes of prep time is to cut up the bacon, and I count the rest of the prep time within cook time as it’s done while the bacon is cooking.
- I suggest using fairly large boneless/skinless chicken breasts for this recipe since we’re cutting them in half lengthwise. If you have smaller chicken breasts, use 4 of them and leave them intact.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on July 31, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Delicious, I love making stuff like this…very Good, thanks for sharing your great skill in cooking . 🍳
Wonderful! You’re welcome!
Made this tonight and it was wonderful! Cooked the chicken in olive oil because I tossed the bacon grease this morning when I made the bacon. I did add minced garlic when I added the heavy cream. Thank you for a great, quick recipe! My family ate it with steamed broccoli and cesar salad.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!!
This dish is excellent!!!! thank you for sharing. Prepared it this evening and we loved it. I also prepared with a side of egg noodles, fresh asparagus . The sauce is so yummy!!!. My husband and I both will definitly make again. Perfect and easy. Just does not get any better than that. (For others). I actually only had 1/2 cup whipping cream ): however I did have whole milk available So just mixed the two, No problem still turned out great).
You’re very welcome! 🙂
I think I’m going to try this tonight! I have some leftover bacon and need a good way to use it. I’m thinking I’ll add potatoes somehow and broccoli .. haven’t figured out what to do with the potatoes yet.
Thank you for posting!
You’re welcome!
Absolutely love this recipe. Have made it two times now. Even my super picky eater likes it. Quick, easy and usually have all the ingredients on hand already.
I’m so happy to hear that, Desiree! 🙂
First off, I am SO in love with this recipe! I have made it for countless family members and dinners guests. never one complaint! Even my picky toddlers ask for this meal at least once a week! I know you said in your article you didn’t add up the calories but I was wondering if you did have the nutrition facts? My mother has just started Keto and wondered if it was okay.
I’m so glad your family likes it!! 🤗 I don’t have nutrition facts for this recipe. I now do calculate it for some of my recipes, but I’ll be honest… this is a higher calorie recipe, and I don’t want to deter people from making it. Some people have an emotional attachment to the number unfortunately, and I don’t want to make people feel any kind of guilt. I’d say without the flour this recipe would be fine for keto. 😊
I’m on keto and the recipe is perfectly fine if you either leave out the flour or use almond flour. You need good fats on keto, so the bacon and heavy cream are perfectly fine (just maybe only make this dish once a week to not overdue it, lol)! Making it tonight for the first time with a side of sautéed broccolini (and rice for my hubby). Thanks for sharing!!
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
You use of ads and popups on this website is sickening. You should be ashamed.
I’ll humor you and approve this comment. I see you’re not brave enough to use your real name when you throw around insults lol. I get it… no one likes ads. However, this is my full-time job (in fact, I spend well over 40 hours a week on it). I provide people with FREE recipes. If I had no ads, there would be no recipes… it’s as simple as that. I have one pop-up. I actually have fewer ads and pop-ups than many blogs (and big websites) out there.
You can double the ads as far as I am concerned. When you are giving me free recipes that are as good as this one, I don’t mind one bit! 🥰 If you don’t like the ads then please just move on! What an amazing recipe. Thank You!
Thank you for your support!! It really is very appreciated! I am so glad you liked the recipe! 🙂 XO
Thank you for the deliciousness recipes
There will always be people who LOVE to be negative and find something to complain about. What a sad life they must have.
You are providing a service which I appreciate. Thanks again
Thank you so much for your support, Mary Beth! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight! Followed the recipe word for word and it was perfect! Thank you for such a tasty recipe! New family favourite!
Wonderful!! You’re very welcome. 🙂
Thinking of making this recipe tonight, but I’m wondering if it’s necessary to filet the chicken breasts and then cut them again. Or if I can just leave them as whole boneless skinless chicken breasts?
Hi! If you decide to leave them whole, keep in mind they will take approximately twice as long to cook. I cut them this way to make sure they cook fast and evenly so they don’t dry out and the sauce is ready at the right time.
Amazing!! My third time making it now and still love it, I altered the sauce as well and made over penne pasta with EXTRA sauce of course.
That’s awesome!! Thanks for letting me know, Kyle!
Made it last night… it was a big hit👏🏻👏🏻. I altered it a bit… cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces before cooking & had to substitute the heavy cream with cream cheese & sour cream… it was great so I can only imagine how good it will be next time with heavy cream😊
I’m so glad it worked out with your tweaks, Teri! Sounds delicious! Thanks for commenting. XO