About this recipe:

This braised chicken takes a little bit of time to cook but the outcome is so worth it. You will impress your whole family with this elegant comfort food. This braised chicken and bacon cream sauce is inspired by french techniques and ingredients but it’s not a difficult recipe. It is also made in only one pan! 

I use chicken legs in this braised chicken recipe. I personally love how easy it is to eat them, but you can use thighs as well. It does have to be bone in however and bone in is always better anyway! 

What is braising?

Braising is a two part cooking technique that starts off with a sear/crust and ends with the meat being slow cooked in a liquid (usually a stock with wine). The difference between braising and boiling is two key things. The heat on braising is always a slow simmer and is often done in the oven. Second, the meat is not fully submerged but the liquid usually covers about half the meat. The result is a super tender meat and a flavorful crust! 

About the Bacon Cream Sauce:

Braising is one of my all time ways to cook chicken. The “sauce” that is created is rich and flavorful. I decided to take it one step further by turning it into a cream sauce. Think of the best gravy you’ve ever had and then double the flavor and you have the bacon cream sauce in this recipe! 

What to serve with this recipe:

This sauce is best served with potatoes or another heavy starch. My favorite recipes to pair with this are:

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

The Best Roasted Potatoes

Braised Chicken Step by Step:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350.F (175.C) 

Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a straight-sided 10 or 11-inch ovenproof sauté pan with a lid, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken in the pan (you may have to do this in batches for even browning),and cook until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook until the other sides are deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Next add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned, season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and discard any remaining oil.

Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy, then add in the shallot and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes more.

Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and cover. Transfer to the oven and braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meat starts to come away from the bone, 45 to 50 minutes.

To make the Bacon Cream Sauce:

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and keep warm by covering the dish loosely with foil. Strain the onions, bacon, carrots, and mushrooms into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the liquid to the sauté pan and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, skimming off any skin that forms on top for about 5 minutes. Add in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard and fresh thyme leaves and bring back to a simmer. Once thickened, season to taste with pepper (the sauce should be nicely salted at this point). Add the veggies and bacon back into the sauce.

Pour the cream sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. Serve over mashed potatoes, or any side of your choice.

Braised Chicken Video Tutorial:

Braised Chicken with Bacon Cream Sauce

Megan Lowery

A delicious twist on a French dish that is rich, creamy, and satisfying.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Chicken, Main Course

Cuisine American, French

Servings 4

Equipment

• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Deep 10-inch sauté pan with lid

Ingredients

  

• 6-8 chicken drumsticks
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• 3 ounces bacon (3 strips), cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 shallots, diced
• 8 cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 large thyme sprigs
• 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or store bought
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Parsley, to garnish

Instructions

 

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350.F (175.C)
• Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a straight-sided 10 or 11-inch ovenproof sauté pan with a lid, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken in the pan (you may have to do this in batches for even browning), and cook until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook until the other sides are deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Next add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned, season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and discard any remaining oil. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy, then add in the shallot and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes more.
• Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and cover. Transfer to the oven and braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meat starts to come away from the bone, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and keep warm by covering the dish loosely with foil. Strain the onions, bacon, carrots, and mushrooms into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the liquid to the sauté pan and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, skimming off any skin that forms on top for about 5 minutes.
• Add in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard and fresh thyme leaves and bring back to a simmer. Once thickened, season to taste with pepper (the sauce should be nicely salted at this point). Add the veggies and bacon back into the sauce. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
• Serve over mashed potatoes, or any side of your choice.

Keyword american, chicken, dinner, french, fusion, maincourse, onedish, onepan, recipe