Inspiration for this Chicken Dish
We’re big fans of Chicken Florentine which comes from Florence, Italy. It basically refers to a dish using seared chicken and simmered in a cream-based sauce with wilted spinach. This is our spin on the dish and though that bacon and mushrooms would be the perfect addition.
How to make Creamy Garlic Chicken with Bacon & Mushrooms
The biggest tip for this recipe is to flatten out the chicken using a tenderizer. This lets you cook the chicken completely through in an expedited manner and allows for perfect caramelization of the chicken (known as the Maillard effect).
The next tip is that you should never overcrowd the pan when cooking. If you do, excess moisture will be drawn out of the chicken and cause the chicken to boil rather than sear.
To estimate when the chicken is done cooking, you can either just periodically check when the inside is white and no longer pink. Or you can be sophisticated and use a meat thermometer- it will be done once it reaches about 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The last point to make would be to cook the flour in the skillet for a minute or two before adding in the liquid part of the sauce. If you add the flour afterwards, it will just turn into a chunky rather than creamy sauce.
Creamy Garlic Chicken with Bacon & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts
- ½ cup pork lardons
- 16 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 large sweet onion sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1.5 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt pepper, to taste
Instructions
- First, use a tenderizer to pound chicken breasts to a uniform thickness of ¾ – 1 inch and then cut each breast in half, lengthwise.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, cook the lardons until crispy, about 5 minutes. Set them aside but keep the oil/fat in the pan.
- In two or three batches, cook the chicken in the skillet for about 8 minutes per side or until no longer pink on the inside. Set the chicken aside when cooked.
- Next, use the skillet to saute the mushrooms with a bit of oil for about 5 minutes or until starting to turn golden, then add the onions and cook for another 3 minutes. Now add the diced garlic and saute for another 3 minutes.
- At this point, add the flour, mixing it thoroughly and cook for another minute before pouring in the heavy cream, stirring until combined. Add back the lardons and chicken from earlier. Next, add the chicken broth, then the grated cheese, and then the onion powder, cayenne, and salt/pepper. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Finally, add the spinach and mix with the salt until it wilts. Serve warm.
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