Creamy Bacon Chicken

• total time: 6 minutes

Ingredients

Recipe in more detail on the blog

CREAMY BACON CHICKEN | Serves 4

CHICKEN

2x 250g/9oz Chicken Breasts, brought close to room temp

35g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tbsp Butter

SAUCE

150g / 5oz Streaky Bacon, chopped (preferably thick-cut)

2 small Shallots, finely diced

2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced

180ml / 3/4 cup Chicken Stock

180ml / 3/4 cup Double/Heavy Cream

20g / 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2-3 sprigs of Fresh Thyme

1/2 – 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions

Add the bacon to a large pan over medium heat and fry until crispy with the fat rendered down (start with a dash of oil if needed). Remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving 1 tbsp fat behind (just eyeball it - top up with oil if needed).

Butterfly your chicken breasts right through the centre to make 4 even-sized breasts. In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt & pepper. One by one take a cutlet, coat it in the flour, give it a shake then place to one side.

Turn the pan heat up slightly to medium-high, then melt the butter in with the bacon fat. Add the chicken and fry both sides for a few minutes until golden on the outside and just about cooked through the centre. Remove from the pan and place on a plate to one side.

Lower the heat back to medium and fry the shallots in the leftover fat until soft & golden. Add the garlic and fry for 30 secs or so, then add the stock & cream. Stir in the parmesan until it melts, then stir in the thyme and a gentle squeeze of lemon juice. Don't go overboard with the lemon, this is just to cut through the richness of the sauce.

Simmer for a few mins until the sauce starts to thicken, then stir most of the bacon (save some to garnish) and any resting juices from the chicken. Check for seasoning then add the chicken and baste in the sauce to warm it back through. Serve up with the extra crispy back then tuck in and enjoy.