Your family or guests will love this flavor packed chicken dinner. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight and fabulous enough for company on the weekend. Serve with a salad and a crusty bread to mop up the wonderful sauce.
Chicken:
6 bone-in, skin-on or off chicken thighs
1 T. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cream Sauce:
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
7 oz. diced bacon
14 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1 c. cream or milk**
½ c. chicken stock/broth
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a jar. Rub the oil mixture over the chicken, coating completely.
Heat a large, oven-proof pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken, skin-side down, until skin is crisp and golden brown; flip and sear the other side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Transfer to oven; roast until completely cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
When chicken is done, remove from skillet; set aside. Discard half of the chicken juices left in the pan.
Using the same skillet, cook the garlic in the reserved chicken juices over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bacon; fry until just beginning to crisp. Add in the mushrooms; cook until mushrooms begin to soften.
Pour in the cream or milk, chicken stock/broth and Parmesan cheese; simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. ** Season with pepper; taste before adding salt, as the bacon is salty. Add chicken back into the pan; allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes in the cream to marry the flavors.
Garnish with parsley and shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve over or with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.
Tip:
**Using cream, half and half, thickened cream, heavy cream, or light or reduced fat cooking cream are all fine to use. If a thicker sauce is desired, whisk together 1 level t. cornstarch with 1 T. milk, stirring until lump free and well blended. Add the mixture into the cream sauce, while stirring continuously, until thickened.
**Using regular, low-fat or skim milk, skim, almond, or cashew milk, are fine. Add in; bring to a simmer; whisk 2 t. cornstarch into 1-2 T. *extra* milk; pour cornstarch mixture into the center of the pan, stirring continuously until milk thickens and becomes a 'cream'.
6 servings.