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This creamy pancetta and mushroom chicken recipe is a low-effort meal that tastes fancy! The cream sauce has so much richness and depth thanks to the crispy pancetta.
You may enjoy my Brie Pasta with Pancetta or Pancetta and Pea Pasta as well.
Why you’ll love it
Pancetta is Italian cured pork belly that’s similar to bacon but without the smokiness. It’s seasoned with a blend of warm spices along with salt & pepper, then dry aged. It makes an amazing addition to the sauce in this restaurant-quality creamy chicken recipe!
This chicken with pancetta and pan-seared mushrooms has a splash of cream and white wine to make it even more special. It’s one of those meals that you can whip up easily, making it perfect for both entertaining or enjoying on any old weeknight.
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Pancetta – you can buy it diced at the grocery store
- Mushrooms – we’re using cremini/baby bellas, but use your favorite variety
- Garlic – more savory goodness
- Italian seasoning – it’s a blend of tasty dried herbs that comes in one jar
- White wine – use a dry white wine that you’d enjoy drinking like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Definitely don’t use cooking wine because it’s very salty.
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
- Heavy cream – for that luscious creamy taste and texture
Pro tip
Pancetta tends to be quite salty, so be sure to taste it before adding any more salt to the sauce.
How to make pancetta mushroom chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken to make four thinner cutlets, and season gently with salt & pepper. Heat up the oil in a skillet, then fry the pancetta until crispy. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden, then transfer to the plate.
Melt the butter in the skillet, and add the mushrooms. Sauté until the water cooks off and they’re nicely browned. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and wine. Let it reduce.
Make a cornstarch slurry, then add it to the pan along with the cream. Return the chicken and pancetta, and cook the chicken through. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is the Le Creuset skillet I use. It comes in all sorts of fun colors.
- I love these angled measuring cups since you don’t need to crouch down to see the measurements.
- Use a garlic press to mince the garlic with ease and an instant read thermometer to get the chicken to that perfect 165F.
Substitutions and variations
- Add in a couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach towards the end of cooking time for some greens.
- You can swap the white wine for chicken broth if needed, but be mindful of salt content. You may also need to add a little bit of lemon juice for acidity to help brighten the sauce.
- Substitute the pancetta with regular bacon if you wish.
What to serve with pancetta chicken
- For a starch, try my Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream or this Stick of Butter Rice.
- Some great veggie sides are sautéed green beans, these Easy Glazed Carrots, or my Easy Roasted Asparagus.
- Pair it with my Parmesan Arugula Salad, or try this Creamy Pesto Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers of this chicken in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
- Reheat on the stove slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- This won’t freeze well due to the dairy.
More easy chicken recipes
If you made this creamy pancetta chicken, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me on Instagram so that I can see any S&L recipe you made.
Pancetta and Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts boneless skinless
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- For serving: fresh chopped parsley optional but recommended, to taste
Instructions
- Cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make four thinner cutlets. Season them with salt & pepper (go fairly easy on the salt as pancetta is quite salty).
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the pancetta and fry until crispy (about 8-10 min). Transfer the pancetta to a plate, and leave the fat in the pan.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook it for 4-5 minutes/side until golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate (same plate as the pancetta is fine).
- Add the butter to the skillet. Let it melt, then add in the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until the water has been released, it cooks off, and they get nicely browned.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and white wine to the skillet. Let it bubble until the liquid is reduced by half.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water and stir until dissolved.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cream and cornstarch slurry to the pan and give it a good stir.
- Add the chicken and pancetta back to the skillet. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened a bit. If the sauce becomes too thick, add in another splash of cream of wine. Season with salt & pepper if needed and sprinkle with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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