Creamy Corn Chicken Skillet

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Corn Chicken Skillet

This Creamy One Skillet Corn Chicken is full of flavor, and is ready in under an hour! A creamy, cheesy parmesan corn sauce with bacon, herbs, garlic, onion and spices gets topped with perfectly seared chicken breasts for a complete and super satisfying meal!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 596kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
¼ cup all purpose flour optional but makes the skin a little crispy
2 tablespoons avocado oil

Creamy corn sauce

12 slices bacon cut into pieces (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat
4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1 large yellow onion diced
¼ cup all purpose flour optional to thicken the sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
4 ears corn on the cob kernels removed from the cob
12 cloves garlic minced
¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
½ cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1.5 cups whole milk added slowly and as needed to thin
6-8 ounces freshly grated parmesan added to taste and as needed to thicken
about 2 ounces handful of basil leaves torn
½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

Chicken

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. When the chicken is well coated, add the flour and toss it to coat again.
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper, Zest of 1 lemon, Juice of ½ a lemon, ¼ cup all purpose flour
Add oil to the hot skillet, and cook the chicken in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F with an instant-read thermometer. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. This helps the juices re-distribute throughout the chicken, which keeps it tender and juicy.
2 tablespoons avocado oil

Bacon

Clean the pan if necessary before beginning to get any charred bits out of the skillet. Next, add the bacon to a hot skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it's golden brown and crispy. Remove it from the skillet and set it aside on paper towels to drain the excess fat. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet and discard or save the rest for later,
12 slices bacon

Creamy corn sauce

To the same skillet with the bacon grease, add about 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, followed by the onion, flour, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes to get rid of the raw flour smell and cook down the onions until translucent and beginning to soften.
2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large yellow onion, ¼ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Next, add the remaining butter, followed by the corn, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 3-5 minutes or so, stirring every so often, until the corn is golden brown, then stream in the wine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol, then stream in the milk and turn the heat to low.
4 ears corn on the cob, 12 cloves garlic, ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ cup dry white wine, 1.5 cups whole milk
Begin adding in the cheese in small handfuls, stirring until the cheese is completely melted before adding the next handful to form a sauce. Once all of the cheese is incorporated, add in the basil, and add back the cooked bacon. Stir to wilt the basil.
6-8 ounces freshly grated parmesan, about 2 ounces handful of basil leaves
Taste and adjust seasonings, then, right before serving, stir in the lemon juice and zest and remove from the heat.
½ teaspoon black pepper, Zest of 1 lemon, Juice of ½ a lemon
Top with the cooked chicken, more basil, and parmesan cheese. Serve, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. We don't recommend freezing this recipe, as there is a lot of dairy, and the texture can be impacted by freezing.

Video

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Notes

Let the chicken rest before cutting it into pieces. This keeps the chicken moist and juicy, and keeps the juice inside the chicken, instead of letting it leak out!

Use freshly grated parmesan and add it slowly. Pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents added to it that cause the cheese to clump up more prevent it from melting into a smooth sauce. Make sure each handful of cheese is melted and incorporated before adding the next, and stir constantly over low heat for a smooth sauce!

Add the lemon juice last. After making many creamy, rich parmesan cheese-based dishes, we discovered it was best to add the lemon juice at the very end of making the cream sauce. The acid in the lemon juice can cause the cheese to clump up, so we recommend adding it right before serving!

Nutrition