Creamy Baked Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms & Bacon. An easy weeknight dinner packed full of flavour the whole family will love! Another tasty low carb and Keto approved recipe.
Golden, crispy skinned and juicy bone-in baked chicken thighs with tender cremini mushrooms and crispy fried bacon pieces, simmered in a garlic parmesan cream sauce? YES please! Another ripper chicken dinner… readers have been loving this recipe since forever! Accidentally gluten free and low carb with maximum deliciousness.
BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS
There’s nothing like a delicious bowl of Creamy Chicken and Mushroom! But throw in golden baked chicken thighs WITH crispy bacon and you’re onto a winner. Both heavy cream and half and half options have been included in this recipe.
May the fats be ever in your favor.
HOW TO BAKE CHICKEN THIGHS
You want crispy skinned chicken for this. I can’t imagine anything worse than soggy, fatty skin swimming in a cream sauce. To get them nice and golden, you’re going to:
RUB skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs with olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
SEAR thighs in a large oven proof pan or skillet, skin-side down first, to render the fat and get the skin a beautiful golden brown colour. Flip and sear the other side for about 2-3 minutes.
TRANSFER chicken to your preheated oven and bake until completely cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
REMOVE chicken from the pan, keeping about half of the pan juices (chicken grease) in the skillet to start your sauce.
SAUCE FOR CHICKEN
Once your baked chicken thighs are nice and crispy, use the SAME PAN to prepare your sauce.
SAUTÉ garlic in the reserved pan juices over medium heat until fragrant. This process only takes about 30 seconds to a minute.
FRY bacon until crispy and add in the mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms begin to soften.
POUR in the cream, some chicken broth and Parmesan cheese, simmering until slightly thickened.
TASTE TEST before seasoning with additional salt as the bacon may add enough saltiness too the sauce.
ADD chicken thighs back into the pan SKIN-SIDE UP! This keeps them nice and crunchy for when you’re ready to serve.
SIMMER in the sauce to absorb all of those delicious flavours into the underside of the thighs.
PARMESAN AND GARLIC
These flavours are seen in most of our family recipes, from Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes to our reader favourite Mac and Cheese.
MORE BAKED CHICKEN THIGH RECIPES
Honey Soy Baked Chicken Thighs
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Thighs
Chicken Cacciatore
Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken
Creamy Baked Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms & Bacon
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on or off)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
FOR THE CREAM SAUCE:
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 7 ounces (200 g) diced bacon
- 14 ounces (400 g) sliced brown mushrooms (Cremini)
- 1 cup heavy cream (OR half and half)*
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt, only if needed to your taste
- Extra chopped fresh parsley to garnish
- Fresh shaved or grated parmesan to garnish
Instructions
BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange chicken on a plate. Combine together the olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a jug. Rub the oil mixture over the chicken to completely coat.
- Heat a large oevn proof pan or skillet over medium high heat. Sear the chicken, skin-side down first, until skin is crisp and golden brown. Rotate and sear the other side (about 2-3 minutes per side).
- Transfer to oven and roast until completely cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Once chicken is done, remove from skillet; set aside. Pour out HALF of the chicken juices left in the pan.
SAUCE
- Using the same skillet the chicken was in, fry the garlic in the reserved chicken juices over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bacon and fry until just beginning to crisp. Add in the mushrooms and cook until mushrooms begin to soften.
- Pour in the cream, chicken broth and Parmesan. Let simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Season with pepper. Taste first before adding in any extra salt, as the bacon will add the salt.
- Add the chicken back into the pan; allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes in the cream to take on the flavours.
- Garnish with parsley and shaved or grated parmesan, if desired. Serve over rice, pasta, or steamed/grilled vegetables.
Notes
TIPS
- If using cream: Thickened cream, heavy cream, light or reduced fat cooking cream are all fine to use. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk together 1 level teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cream until lump free and well blended. Add the mixture into the cream sauce, while stirring continuously, until thickened.
- If using half and half: Bring to a gentle simmer; whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 1-2 tablespoons of *extra* half and half; pour cornstarch mixture into the centre of the pan; stir continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes a 'cream'. Nutrition facts are calculated based on skin-on, bone in thighs, and heavy cream.
Sherri says
Love, love and loved it!
Viv says
This was so good! I made it last night because I had leftover cooked chicken that I needed to use, so I just made the sauce and spaghetti, and wow. Honestly, I’d eat just the pasta and sauce together even if I didn’t have chicken. This recipe is officially in my rotation. Thank you!
April says
This was so yummy!! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and it was so yummy. I recommend anyone to try this.
Debi says
Another recipe I have tried and it is loved by my husband. Again quick and easy and so tasty.
Alov says
Love it! Family favourite. For a keto thickner, using tempered egg yolks (maybe a lottle extra butter as well) works really well!
Jeni says
Hello! Can this be made in a crockpot?
Judy says
This recipe is so yummy I will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing.
Ally says
Can this be made with breasts instead og thighs
Dave says
What sides go good with this? And what whine do you recommend?
Jackie says
Oh my creamy goodness! This looks so good! Can’t wait to give this a try.
Dee says
Can i use boneless thighs?
Jane Ritchuk says
We make this all the time. I usually add baby spinach so I don’t need another veg and serve it on mashed potato. Totally delicious!
Carina says
Can this be made ahead.
Allen Speck says
I made this last night and everybody enjoyed it. However, when I first saw the recipe I had reservations about coating the thighs with chopped parsley and garlic before searing them. But I did it anyway and, sure enough, the parsley and garlic burned and I had to scrape the burned bits off the chicken and strain them out of the fat and juices before proceeding. Next time I’ll infuse the oil with garlic and strain it out before rubbing the oil on. And I’ll wait to add the parsley until the cream goes in.
Heather M. Whipple says
This looks delicious, could I alternate
Shrimp and fish sometimes In place of chicken thigh filets ? Please let me know.
Nicole thompson says
This dish makes u wanna lick the plate and slap yo mama! 2nd time making it. I followed directions except added spinach so I wouldn’t have to make a separate veggie. I just love this meal. Has become one of my favs.
Catina says
I just made this dish tonight recently started doing Keto and have been trying recipes. This is delicious I put my own spin on it adding sun dried tomatoes and green onions. I highly recommend this recipe.
Marjorie Rohrbach says
This dish was delicious…restaurant quality.
Gene says
OMG…Absolutely amazing. Disagree with the comment about it being restaurant quality…it’s so much better than that. After all, isn’t why we cook at home? Because we know we can do SO much better than most restaurants? My wife and I have placed a copy of this recipe in our “Keeper” folder and plan on making it a regular, especially with company. The warning about not adding salt at the end was very helpful…none needed at this point. The sauce is as rich and delicious as any I’ve ever had. This is by far, one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever cooked Thank you so much for sharing!
Teresa says
I made this for dinner tonight. It was awesome!!!! Really delicious. I served it on top of rice. Next time I will serve it over bow tie pasta. Thank you for sharing.
Christine says
Absolutely delicious!! I am on vacation this week (just at home hanging out) and wanted something special to prepare for dinner. Usually my husband makes dinner when he gets home but since I’m home this week I’m treating him. The house smelled amazing! He loved it and so did I. Thanks for a great recipe and for making it easy to follow. 🙂
Karina says
That’s wonderful Christine! Go YOU!
Lyle says
This recipe is amazing! I made this for dinner and my fiance loved it! I followed the recipe exactly as directed, except I didn’t have an oven-proof skillet. I baked the chicken on a separate baking pan and made the sauce on a separate stove-top skillet. I transferred the baked chicken into the skillet afterwards. So flavorful! Thank you for this scrumptious recipe. 🙂
Mary says
Amazing!! I made this last night for the family. Big hit however mine wasn’t as picture perfect as the one posted here. I used Turkey Bacon and had to use a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Be careful with that step, my sauce thickened instantly lol. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Laura D Stratton says
This is delicious! I made it for company and everyone wanted the recipe. You write the recipe so it is easy to follow. Thank you!
Terry says
This is the first time I’ve left a comment about food and since I’ve been on keto for 3 months everything is drab I’ve totally had to relearn how to cook ,,,, I tryed this recipe and oh my god it’s freakin amazing but instead of chicken thighs I used chicken breast but other the that I fallowed the recipe to the T ,, I absolutely loved it’s thank you
Nohemi says
Looks so delicious!! Are white mushrooms okay with this? Got the wrong ones at the store.
Karina says
Yes, that will still work great!
Elizabeth Doolittle says
Oh my goodness , I mean I have always loved cooking I have always experiment with things but this was absolutely fantastic! I give you5 stars and a bunch of high 5s. I could eat that whole pan, well I wish, my house just got seriously stingy! Lol thank you, Elizabeth D.
Jennifer says
My sister and I made this together.We used cut up boneless skinless chicken thighs and we got rid of the searing step.Best dish we have ever made!
Debbie says
It’s gluten free!! I’m in love!
Diego Lopes says
Can’t wait to make this recipe, it just seems like the perfect dinner combo!
katrina says
Is it ok if i will not bake the chicken ????
Sestine says
Wow! I made this on stovetop because it was too hot to turn on the oven. I cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs and browned in bacon grease and added chopped onions. I used milk with cornstarch to thicken, stirred in Parmesan at the end, and served it over rice cooked in chicken broth. Absolutely delicious!!!
Julie says
I have made this a couple times. I am never able to fully leave a recipe alone, no matter how delicious it is. Here are some of the additions I add.
1/2 cup or so of diced onion when I sear the chicken.
1/2 cup of White Wine to deglaze the pan before adding the cream and broth.
1 Cup of Spinach leaves and let them wilt into the sauce before I add the chicken back to the pan.
I recently served it with chicken tortellini and our guests loved it.
Karina says
That sounds great! I am glad that you were able to make it your own. Thank you for sharing and following along with me!
Maggie Kallion says
Wow!! Great recipe Karina. I made it for my husband and a friend and they both loved it. Seriously Delicious. I will be making this again and again.
Karina says
AWE! Thank you so much hun! That means a lot to me! Thanks so much for following along with me. I am so glad that you enjoyed this chicken.
Ash says
Hi, this looks delicious. I could not find chicken broth, can I use chicken stock instead?
Karina says
Yes, of course! Enjoy your chicken!
Shana says
This is the best recipe I’ve ever pulled from online – my goodness! I subbed chicken breasts and cooked them around 30 min at 400 (they were thick). I will be making this dish A LOT in the future
Karina says
YAY!! That is great to hear! I am so glad you found this recipe and that you loved it! Thank you for following along with me!
Melisa says
This was absolutely delicious—even the husband who doesn’t much care for chicken thought so.
Tymeron Smith says
That is so great! When the husband is satisfied it makes all the difference!
Anissa Bessette says
Super yummy! I changed a few things that I thought were great.After I browned the bacon I removed it from the pan and drained on paper towels & then wiped out the pan, so I didn’t have all that bacon grease. I added the mushrooms to the pan with a little butter to let brown. Then I added the bacon back and garlic so it didn’t burn and then I added 2 tablespoons flour and then milk and chicken stock and would add more milk or stock to my desired consistency. I added a few tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes to the bacon which added a nice tangy flavor.
Carol says
Looking at this recipe to make for 60 homeless men this January. Can you suggest ways to make ahead?
BK says
This dish was awesome as a base !! Problem is I’m set in my ways so I seasoned my chicken with some adobo instead of salt as well as with some Italian seasonings. I also love sundried tomatoes and thought it would be a good pairing with the bacon and cream. I took this to a company potluck, and there was none left. I will definitely use this recipe again!
Chelsy says
How can I shorten this for just 2 people for tonights dinner?
Karina says
Hi Chelsy. At the top of the recipe box, you’ll see a number of serves. If you change that number to 2, you will get the quantities needed ?
Angelika says
Yummy. This is a keeper. Especially the bacon was a hit. I used skinless boneless chicken.
Karina says
Thank you Angelika!
anadimae says
This was easy and delicious. I always have bacon grease in the refrigerator and cooked bacon leftover from Sundays, so I had shortcut using the bacon grease and reheating bacon to use at the end. I made extra sauce to use over rice, but it would have been wonderful to use over pasta. Husband liked it and it’s a keeper. THANK YOU~!
Dhiara DiClaudio says
Just made this recipe for dinner tonight. I added white wine and OMG it’s beyond delicious! Will definitely make it again! Thank you!
Rosalyn Jones says
In the picture for this recipe it shows what looks like red pepper or is it sun dried tomatoes? There is not either one in the recipe. I would like to try making this but was wondering which was in it.
Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Rosalyn! I believe it’s the bacon pieces?
Layna says
So worth the second degree burn to my hand and trip to urgent care I got while making this amazing dish!
Karina says
Oh my gosh Layna! How did you do that? Are you okay?
Stacie says
This looks absolutely devine!! I have one question. Can I use jarred mushrooms? I love mushrooms but have never prepared them.
Betty Powell says
Hi. Just wondering if I could use packaged real bacon bits instead. Of frying bacon?
Jenn says
Oh my Heaven’s this is amazing!!!
Carlota Sanchez says
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it. What temperature did you set your oven to?
Karen says
This was great! I wanted it a little less sanity for my toddlers so I used some of the water from the fettuccini I cooked. Definitely moving this pin to my “favorite meals” folder.
Mia says
I made this recipe over the weekend and it was so delicious!! I made it with broccoli and white rice. I did leave out the mushrooms since my boyfriend doesn’t like them, but I loved the bacon in the sauce. I will definitely be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing!
Tanya Johnson says
Will try I just fond this recipe it look great !
Cheryl Taul says
I made this recipe and it was the most delicious chicken dinner I have ever had. That is not an exaggeration. I have made Julia Child’s recipes with wine and cream which was delicious, and I will honestly say that the sauce in this recipe was better than Julia Child’s white sauce. I think the bacon had a tremendous push to it, and the mushrooms and chicken broth topped it off. As far as my taste goes, this was how much I loved this recipe. The next day after I cooked this chicken dinner, I went back to the store and got ingredients to make some more of the sauce and I froze the sauce in increments for other dinners. I didn’t change anything to this recipe but instead of using milk or cream I used half-and-half.
Victoria Knipp says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was great! I used chicken breasts and cooked bacon. Thanks for the recipe.
Megan says
This looks delicious! Do you think I could substitute boneless skinless chicken breast? Can’t wait to try the recipe for dinner!
Marnie says
Delicious. Family loved. Used boneless thighs which we like better. Will b making again and again. Tks so much?
Madalyn says
This looks delicious! I plan on making it for the family tonight! One question- I am going to use boneless chicken breast instead, how would that affect the cook time?
Carley says
Can you use boneless chicken breasts with this? Thanks!
Liz says
I made this and absolutely loved it! I gave some to friends to try and they raved about it too. I used Half n’ Half and thickened the sauce as per the instructions. I also fried the bacon and drained it to reduce the fat content but it didn’t adversely affect the recipe at all. I’ll definitely make this often.
Mary says
This recipe was a huge hit with my family! So good and something I will be making again. I didn’t change a thing!
Joanne Roots-Rochon says
Delicious….if you want to cut the calories but not give up the creaminess, do what I do. I use Carnation low fat condensed canned milk. All the creaminess of regular cream without the added fat.
Cleny Cruz says
What type of bacon did you use?
Karina says
Hi Cleny. Centre cut bacon 🙂
Paula says
CREAMY GARLIC PARMESAN MUSHROOM CHICKEN & BACON
This was delicious! The only thing I substituted was the bacon (I didn’t have any). I used baked ham instead. I also followed the milk directions instead of cream. It was perfect! I served it with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. A definite keeper! Thanks so much!
Carole says
This was fabulous!!!!! So yummy and everyone loved it!!!
Leah says
This is so amazing! I didn’t change a thing (except I doubled it for a big family). The flavors are wonderful and everybody loves it…which is absolutely impossible if you knew my family. Finally a meal that everyone will eat. Thank you so much for your recipes! I’ve made 3 of them already and all of them are delicious and will be in the Johnson household for a long time.
Marian says
Karina: is it possible to get the nutritional info for your recipes?
Karina says
Hi Marian! Yes I usually provide them and hadn’t realised this one is missing the info! I’ve now updated the post 🙂 My Fitness Pal is what I normally use to calculate them if you ever need them in an emergency 🙂
Teresita says
Is there a fish substitute in all your fish recipe, like milk fish, cream Dori? Because salmon in the Phils. is very expensive !
Hope to hear from you soon and thank u for your time and effort in attending to my question .
Karina says
Hi Teresita! You can definitely use other fish to replace the salmon. It shouldn’t be an issue in regards to taste! If you try some, please let me know how you go!
ann says
Fabulous! Great company recipe. With some crusty bread for mopping & a crisp green salad you have a wonderful meal.s
Rosa says
When do you add the chicken back into the sauce? Do you need to let the Chicken recook a couple of minutes in the sauce?
Karina says
Hi Rosa! Yes, exactly. The instructions are in the recipe box 🙂