Smothered Chicken

SMOTHERED CHICKEN.  Moist and tender chicken breasts are drenched in a luxuriously creamy bacon and mushroom sauce!  Come pull up a chair and enjoy the ultimate comfort food!

A few years ago when I made this Smothered Chicken for the first time I marveled at how our family dinner was actually peaceful.  Our normally rambunctious 4 and 2 year old kids were so engrossed in the meal, so contented, that my husband and I were actually able to enjoy the meal ourselves – imagine that!  If only family dinner could always be like this!  Both of our kids asked for seconds and our 4 year old remained at the table for a full 7 minutes after everyone else was done, savoring every last morsel.  I made a mental note:  Serve Smothered Chicken every night, ha!

Fast forward several years and our kids love this smothered chicken as much today as they did then.  And it’s always a hit when we serve it to friends and family.  We’re confident you’ll love it as much as we do!

Mushrooms, bacon and cream come together in this fabulous comfort dish.  You’ll find yourself setting aside everything you learned about table manners and picking up the plate to give it six solid licks to lap up every last drop of sauce.  (Not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything).

And if you’re the parent of a toddler, preschooler or teenagers who can’t sit through a family meal without chaos breaking loose, this Smothered Chicken recipe is your new secret tool to peace and happiness – at least for the duration of dinner!

Smothered Chicken Recipe

Let’s get started!

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and sear both sides until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the browned bits in the bottom of the pan – that’s going to add a lot of great flavor to the sauce.

Next fry the bacon until crispy.  Don’t drain the bacon grease – that’s a must for flavor!  (And yes, it’s okay to live a little once a while.)

Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft, 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the butter, let it melt, then add the flour and stir until combined.  Cook for about 30 seconds.  This will eliminate the “floury” taste.

While whisking constantly, pour in the heavy cream and milk.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened.

Stir in the salt.

Stir in the parsley.

Nestle the chicken breasts in the sauce and spoon some sauce over them.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

And salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately garnished with some fresh parsley.

Serve with rice, pasta or potatoes.

Enjoy!

For more delicious American-style comfort food try our:

• Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
• Skillet Corn Pudding
• Ultimate Green Bean Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• New England Clam Chowder

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5 from 14 votes

Smothered Chicken

Moist and tender chicken breasts are drenched in a luxuriously creamy bacon and mushroom sauce for the ultimate comfort dish!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: All, American

Servings: 4

Calories: 492kcal

Author: Kimberly Killebrew

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts , cut in half lengthwise to form 4 thinner chicken fillets (or 4 whole chicken breasts if you prefer a bigger serving), both sides sprinkled with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon , diced (use more bacon if using thin-sliced)
• 6 ounces fresh white button or cremini mushrooms , sliced
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and sear both sides until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the browned bits in the bottom of the pan.
• Add the bacon and cooked until crispy. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the butter, melt, then add the flour and stir to combined. Cook for 30 seconds.
• While whisking constantly, pour in the heavy cream and milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened. Add the salt and parsley.
• Nestle the chicken breasts in the sauce and spoon sauce over them to cover. Return the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with rice, pasta or potatoes and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley.

Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 731mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 1mg

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on April 22, 2014