These Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs with Beef Bacon are one of those weeknight dinners that look like you spent way more time on them than you actually did. 🤤 Bone-in chicken thighs get seared in rendered beef bacon fat until the skin is shatteringly crispy, then everything finishes in one oven-safe skillet in a rich white wine cream sauce with Dijon mustard, an obscene amount of garlic, fresh thyme, and mushrooms. On the table in about an hour - weeknight easy, dinner-party worthy.
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Godshall's Quality Meats. We're so proud to partner with them in 2026 to showcase their incredible beef bacon - a smokier, beefier alternative to traditional pork bacon that we can't get enough of! 🥓As always, all opinions are our own.
Your New Favorite One Pan Creamy Chicken Dinner 🍳
If you've never cooked with beef bacon before, this is the recipe that's going to change that. Rendering it first fills your skillet with the most incredible smoky, savory fat that becomes the flavor foundation for everything else - the sear on the chicken, the caramelized mushrooms, the sweet onions and shallots, and yes, twelve whole cloves of garlic. 😂 From there, white wine, cream, Dijon, and fresh thyme pull it all together into a sauce that's rich without being too heavy.
The stovetop-to-oven finish is the other thing we love about this one. Getting the chicken into the oven means even heat all around, no babysitting, and perfectly cooked thighs every single time.
Chamere took one bite and said, "This tastes like something you'd pay $30 for," and then immediately asked when I was making it again. I'll take that as a win! 😝
🥓 Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Beef Bacon
Good ingredients do the heavy lifting here - bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for lots of flavor, a mix of mushrooms for savory depth, and Godshall's beef bacon for that smoky, rich fat that ties everything together.
How to Make This Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe✨
Don't let the impressive results fool you - this one comes together in just a few straightforward steps.
- Step 1: Cut the beef bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat. Add the beef bacon pieces.
Cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving some of the rendered fat in the pan, reserving the rest for later.
We're using Godshall's beef bacon here, and it is absolutely the secret weapon of this dish. It's smokier and beefier than traditional pork bacon, and the fat it renders is incredible. It's rich, savory, and full of flavor, making it the perfect base for searing the chicken and building the cream sauce. Once you cook with it, you'll understand why we keep it stocked in our fridge. 🤤
- Step 3: Drizzle the chicken thighs with a bit of oil and season with kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, mustard powder, and black pepper until well coated.
🧂 Salt note: We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt at about 1 teaspoon per pound of chicken. If you're using Morton's or table salt, use half the amount; they're saltier!
- Step 4: Increase the heat to medium-high. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the rendered beef bacon fat and sear undisturbed for 7-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Work in batches if needed.
💡Internal temperature note. Unlike chicken breasts, thighs are much more forgiving and actually benefit from being cooked beyond the 165°F safe minimum. 185-190°F is the sweet spot for tender, juicy results.
Don't rush the sear! That deep golden skin is where so much flavor comes from in the dish. Plus, it helps keep the chicken nice and juicy while it cooks.
- Step 5: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Reduce the heat to medium. Add a bit of butter and rendered beef bacon fat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.
🍄🟫We love using a mix of mushrooms in this recipe for lots of flavor and texture. In our testing, we found it's best to cook like-sized mushrooms together because they cook at different rates. Use any mushrooms you like!
- Step 6: Add a bit more butter and beef bacon fat, followed by the onion, shallots, and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Then, add in the garlic and flour, cook, stirring often, for about 1 more minute.
- Step 7: Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
🍷Which wine to use? Use a dry white wine you'd actually drink - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are the safest bets. Chardonnay works if it's unoaked, but skip heavily oaked bottles as they can overpower the sauce.
- Step 8: Stir in the chicken broth slowly.
Stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Step 9: Add back the mushrooms and about ⅔ of the reserved crispy beef bacon. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauce, skin-side up, and add in the whole thyme sprigs.
- Step 10: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
✨ The sauce will thicken a bit more as it sits. If it gets too thick, just add a small splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up.
Remove from the oven and discard the thyme sprigs. Top with the remaining crispy beef bacon, fresh thyme leaves, and fresh parsley before serving.
What to Serve With Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs🍽️
We love to serve it sautéed asparagus with butter & lemon and roasted baby potatoes.
This sauce is equally incredible piled over buttermilk mashed potatoes, with a side of green beans, a crisp salad, or crusty bread. Basically, anything that can soak up every last bit!🤤
🌟Leave a Review!
If you make these Creamy Chicken Thighs with Beef Bacon and Mushrooms, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below with your rating for the recipe. Share with us by tagging us on Instagram! We love seeing your creations! 📸
📖 Recipe
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs with Beef Bacon (One Pan Dinner)
Equipment
- large skillet 12-inch or larger
Ingredients
Proteins
- 10 ounces (1 package) Godshall's beef bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 to 2½ pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs about 4-6 thighs
- 1 tablespoon oil any neutral oil
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon salt per pound, see notes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cream Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 16 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced or torn, any variety
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced, (about 1½ cups)
- 2 medium shallots minced, (about ⅓ cup)
- 1-1½ teaspoons kosher salt to taste
- 12 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 15g
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Cook the beef bacon:
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat. Add the beef bacon pieces and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour all rendered fat into a small bowl and reserve, you'll be left with about 4 tablespoons total.10 ounces (1 package) Godshall's beef bacon
Sear the chicken:
- Mix together the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, mustard powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle the chicken thighs with the neutral oil and season generously on all sides with the spice blend.2 to 2½ pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon oil, 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried mustard, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Return 2 tablespoons of the reserved beef bacon fat to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 7-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Work in batches if needed.
Cook the mushrooms:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Reduce heat to medium. Add a splash of reserved bacon fat and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until deeply golden. Work in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 16 ounces fresh mushrooms
Build the sauce:
- Add the remaining bacon fat and 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add the onion, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium shallots
- Add the garlic and flour at the same time and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute.12 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let reduce by half, about 2 minutes.½ cup dry white wine
- Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard. Season with kosher salt to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer.1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Add back the mushrooms and about ⅔ of the reserved crispy beef bacon. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauce skin-side up and tuck in the thyme sprigs.6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
Finish in the oven:
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 185-190°F and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the oven and discard the thyme sprigs. Top with the remaining crispy beef bacon, fresh thyme leaves, and parsley before serving.2 tablespoons fresh parsley
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Notes
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Make ahead: The beef bacon and mushroom sauce can be made up to a day ahead. Sear the chicken fresh and finish in the reheated sauce.
- Salt: We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton's kosher salt, use half the amount. If using table salt, use about one-third the amount.
- What wine to use: Use a dry white wine you'd actually drink - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are the safest bets. Chardonnay works if it's unoaked, but skip heavily oaked bottles as they can overpower the sauce. Avoid anything labeled "cooking wine" as it contains added salt and will throw off the seasoning.
- White wine substitute: Swap in an equal amount of chicken broth with a small squeeze of lemon juice if you'd prefer not to cook with wine.
- Mushrooms: Any variety works great here - cremini, shiitake, oyster, or a specialty blend all do beautifully. The more variety, the more depth of flavor in the sauce.
- Boneless skinless thighs: You can swap in boneless skinless thighs - reduce the oven time to about 15-18 minutes since they cook faster and don't have the bone to contend with. The sauce won't be quite as rich since you lose the rendered skin fat, but it'll still be delicious.
- Stovetop option: Instead of transferring to the oven, nestle the chicken back into the sauce on the stovetop and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 12-15 minutes until cooked through, checking occasionally to make sure the sauce isn't scorching.
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