Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken
Crisp chicken skin and a creamy mushroom sauce make a very appealing pair. The bacon brings a salty bite, with fresh thyme threading through the sauce underneath.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken · Pork
- Cuisine
- American · Italian · Italian American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Brown before baking
Start the chicken skin-side down for browning, then move the skillet to the oven to finish cooking the thighs.
2. Check the chicken itself
Use a thermometer to check that the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before taking it out to make the sauce.
3. Use the same skillet
Set the cooked chicken on a plate and cook the mushrooms in the same skillet with the next portion of oil.
Get to know the ingredients
Skin-on thighs
Choose bone-in, skin-on thighs for the browning and oven stages; that skin is part of the finished dish's texture.
Bacon already cooked
Have the bacon cooked and chopped before adding it to the sauce. It joins the cream and seasonings after the mushrooms soften.
Sliced white mushrooms
Use sliced mushrooms and stir them frequently as they soften in the skillet before the cream goes in.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Warm the chicken in the sauce
Return the thighs to the thickening sauce and cook until heated through, then serve immediately with mushrooms and bacon alongside each piece.
A little more help as you go
Let the sauce thicken first
Simmer the cream with the bacon, thyme and seasonings until it starts to thicken before putting the chicken back.
Keep leftovers covered
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days and reheat in the microwave in short intervals.
A few questions you might have
Can I sear the chicken earlier?
You can sear it a few hours ahead and refrigerate it airtight. It still needs to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven.
Is freezing recommended?
Freezing isn't recommended because the mushrooms, bacon and chicken skin lose their texture after thawing.
Does fresh thyme go on top at the end?
Add it to the skillet with the cream, cooked bacon and seasonings so it simmers into the sauce.
How do I season the chicken before browning?
Use the Italian seasoning, salt and ground black pepper in the first step. The sauce receives its own salt and pepper later.
Do I cook the mushrooms over the same heat as the chicken?
The mushrooms cook over medium heat after the chicken comes out, while the chicken browning starts over medium-high heat.
Any more cooking tips?
Leftover and Make Ahead Instructions Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat: Microwave in 30-second intervals. Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this, since the mushrooms, bacon, and chicken skin will all lose their texture once thawed. Make Ahead: You may sear the chicken a few hours ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container; just be sure the chicken reaches 165ºF in the oven before adding it to the sauce.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: therecipecritic.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.