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If cozy dinners are your thing, these creamy bacon mushroom thyme chicken thighs need to happen soon. Between the crispy chicken skin, smoky bacon, and creamy mushroom sauce, every bite tastes rich and savory. Perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes!
The Magic of One Pan Chicken
- One Pan: Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying that creamy bacon mushroom sauce.
- Recipe Update! You talked, I listened. I added more cream to make the sauce a little saucier and more to go around.
- Perfect With All Your Favorite Sides: Spoon that rich, savory sauce over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
A Reader’s Review
A friend and I made it, and we loved it! We talked about even making a bit more sauce and serving the chicken and sauce over pasta. Even her kids left nothing left. Can’t wait to make it again.
Janice
Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken Ingredients
- Save Time With the Bacon: Pre-cooked bacon is great, or you can cook chopped bacon right in the skillet before adding the chicken for even more flavor.
- Use the Bacon Grease: Swap the olive oil for bacon drippings when cooking the mushrooms to add extra smoky richness to the sauce.
- Taste Before Adding Extra Salt: Bacon can add saltiness, so it’s best to let the sauce thicken first, then taste and adjust if needed.
- Thyme: I prefer fresh thyme, but 1 teaspoon of dried thyme works.
How to Make Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken
Once the chicken thighs are cooked, everything comes together quickly. The mushrooms soak up all the good flavor left behind. The bacon adds smoky flavor. And the cream brings it all into a smooth sauce. From there, it’s just a few minutes until everything is bubbling together and ready to serve.
- Season the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken thighs with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then add them skin-side down to the pan.
- Sear and Bake: Cook the chicken skin-side down for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and crispy, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the Mushrooms: Heat the olive oil in the same skillet, then add the mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently until softened.
- Make the Cream Sauce: Add the bacon, cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Chicken and Serve: Add the chicken back to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully heated through. Serve the mushroom thyme chicken immediately.
Instant Pot Instructions
I recommend removing the skin before cooking since it tends to turn rubbery in the Instant Pot.
- Sear: Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes. Add it to the Instant Pot with 1 cup of water.
- Cook: Cook for 10 minutes using the “meat” function, then do a manual release.
- Sauce & Serve: Add the cooked chicken to the sauce before serving.
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Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken
Creamy mushroom bacon thyme chicken is made with tender chicken, crispy bacon, buttery mushrooms, and fresh thyme simmered in a rich creamy sauce.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed skillet, or cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
- 6 slices cooked and chopped bacon about ½ cup
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Cook the chicken skin-side down for each side of the chicken for 3-4 minutes until browned and crispy, then transfer the skillet into the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a thermometer. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet, then add 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently until softened.
- Add 6 slices cooked and chopped bacon, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and continue to cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully heated through. Serve immediately.
Notes
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 839kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 32gFat: 77gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 264mgSodium: 939mgPotassium: 662mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1538IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
I made the Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken for dinner.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! This looks so yummy ? I’m wondering if I could substitute almond milk for the heavy cream? We’re dairy free, but I hate to miss out on this one! Thanks!!
If you would prefer that you are welcome to try; however, I would not recommend that. The heavy cream is thicker and helps thicken the sauce. The almond milk will alter the taste too.
You could probably use dairy free sour cream.
I made a quick cooking version of this (cook bacon, cook cut up chicken breasts in the bacon fat, make the sauce) and served over rice for my husband and veggies (low carb) for myself. Really easy and delicious! I will definitely try with chicken thighs next time.
Kara! This is great. Thanks for the comment. I am happy that you loved it. Thanks for following with me!
I am “the cook” at my Fire department and work with some picky individuals. I modified it slightly using diced thick cut bacon and searing the chicken in the grease like Teri did. I also added diced garlic cloves with julienned sundried tomatoes when cooking the mushrooms. It paired well with steamed broccoli instead of a pasta. And of course I had to give it a more macho name calling it Tuscan Chicken Thighs. Needless to say that it was a HUGE hit!
Hi Jason!
This is so great. I am so happy that everyone liked it. I love your alterations that you made to the dish. Thanks for the comment and for all that you do for your community!
WOW! This dish is so many types of wow… I’m trying it out on my daughter this evening and will cook it again for my partner on Friday when he returns home. A great Keto dish paired with greens i.e. Broccolini. It smells amazing and my daughter is already complimenting the dish although is yet to try it. So easy to make and has all the qualities of dish that will become a family favourite. Thank you so much for sharing x
This is AMAZING! I make it all the time crave it even more! Any suggestions on what to pare it with?
I’ve never made this before. But I’m making it for dinner tonight. I’m serving it with rice pilaf and roasted asparagus.
I’m going to try having it with pan fried cabbage! I’m on Keto and I think it would be delicious with this meal. You could also try potatoes of any sort – mash or roast. Also rice would be great too. Whatever you prefer!
Amanda, it paired really well with toasted Brussel sprouts with drizzled bacon fat on top of them. It’d probably also be delicious with cauliflower or broccoli. If you’re not doing low carb, it’d taste great with rice.
This dish was amazing. I have never commented on anything and this was so over the top amazing I had to. This is something I would hope to eat at a high end restaurant and I can’t believe I made it at home.
Just made this recipe tonight with green beans, no pasta, but extra mushrooms.
My 20 year old son said “it’s a keeper!” I’d serve it with any kind of pasta, rice or bread, but we are both watching our serving sizes and composition of meals right now (heavy cream excempted)! Delicious!
Thanks for the recipe.
I think this was so easy and amazing. I’m not understanding the whole “flippant” attitude comment. Honestly on a good blog I could care less what the nutritional values are If it’s yummy… I’ll do it! If it means that much to you … look it up yourself! I Love the recipe!!
I’m surprised that you have a food blog, but don’t post the nutritional information for your recipes. If it’s so easy for your readers to look it up on skinnytaste.com or myfitnesspal.com like you do, well, that makes your suggestion a bit flippant and dismissive. I made the CREAMY BACON MUSHROOM THYME CHICKEN tonight (only because I had all the ingredients and was looking to make something different) and it was good, but honestly, your attitude was a bit off-putting and I don’t think I’ll be back. There are currently just too many good food blogs out there.
What a pathetic and lazy butthurt comment for you to make!? Grow up Margo! It’s not rocket science to assess yourself the ingredients going into your dish! Nor does it require a degree to look up the links that Alyssa kindly shared!
The recipe was amazing and I served with tagliatelle pasta! For some reason I can only click 4 stars otherwise I’d give 5.
Margo,
It seems to me you’re the one with the rude and dismissive attitude. There are a lot of food bloggers that do not post the nutritional information, for most people that isn’t a big deal…they just look it up themselves if it’s that important to them. You, too, can be just as self-sufficient.
No need for a drama fest!
Wow, Margo. The only flippant and off putting attitude I see here is yours!
Alyssa, I am putting this recipe in my cooking rotation this week. Not because I have the ingredients already (I don’t), but because it sounds fabulous! Looking forward to trying it!
Margo….the nutrition facts are listed here. Perhaps the other reader missed them. Alyssa is always very nice and helpful. You sound like a nasty, rude woman. Glad you won’t be back.
You can easily create the nutritional information yourself in the my fitness pal app by adding a recipe and using the link. The app will create it for you.
Rough day?
Can dried thyme such as McCormicks, be used instead of fresh thyme?
Yes, that would work. Thanks for choosing one of my recipes. Let me know what you think! XOXO
I made this tonight for our 28/29th Anniversary and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing this.
This is so delicious! What amazing flavor. I followed the recipe as written with only a couple of extras. I cooked the bacon then drained all but a couple of tablespoons of grease and seared the chicken thighs in the bacon fat (yum!) After the chicken came out of the oven, before I added the mushrooms and remaining ingredients, I deglazed the pan with just a splash of sherry that I happened to have. The whole family loved this recipe, including the ridiculously picky 5 year old. Thank you for this! I can’t wait to make it again.
What type of side/sides do you use to complete the meal? I have no clue as to what to fix it and I really want to try this tonight. I went to the store yesterday to get the stuff to make it and spent over two hours there looking for the Creamy Bacon Mushroom Sauce! I’m a ditz and didn’t realize the recipe for it is already in the recipe!! Anyway, I hope it turns out good or my husband and me are going to be very disappointed!!
I made this tonight with mashed potatoes and it was sooooooo delicious!
I cannot find Creamy Bacon Thyme Sauce. What do I do, can it be made.. Please help me with this.
Here is the ingredient list to make the Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed
This looks amazing and easy to make. What is the carb count/nutrition information on this dish? Thanks.
I like to use skinnytaste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information that I may have. I hope that helps you as well!
Omg, at was delicious!! I made it this evening for dinner and served it with a turmeric rice and green beans with crispy fried garlic. It was amazing! Thank you for the terrific recipe!
Absolutely delicious and easy!! I made it for out of town guest upon their arrival I think they thought wow meals are going to be amazing here little did they know that was the only trick in the hat!!! When they went home they called and asked for the recipe!!
Recipe Critic has the best recipes you will find ! My wife and I are well seasoned in excellent cooking and the recipes she posts never fail to deliver !
Wow, amazing recipe! The only changes I made were using chicken breasts and half n half instead of heavy cream. This will definitely be going in the dinner rotation. 5 star delicious!
That is great to hear! I love that you made it your own! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO