A hearty and savory one pan meal, chicken breasts are crisped up in rendered bacon fat, then braised in an aromatic sauce with white wine, mushrooms and herbs.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are easy to overcook and can lack flavor. This is why braising is a great cooking method for them! The chicken absorbs all the flavors in the sauce and becomes tender and succulent. This is a casual, yet elegant meal that is great for entertaining or just a cozy night in!
Here’s what you need:
Start by rendering the bacon.
All this means is, you are melting the fat away, leaving crisp, meaty pieces of bacon. Do this on a lower flame, about med-low. If the heat is too high, the fat on the outside of the bacon will brown and not melt. Once rendered, remove the bacon lardons from the pan then turn the heat up to medium.
Next, brown the floured breasts in the remaining fat.
If the breast are quite thick, slice them in half horizontally or use a mallet to pound them to about a one inch thickness. Sometimes I find already prepared cutlets at the grocery store, but it’s not always guaranteed. Cook in batches to ensure they all get properly browned.
At this point don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through. They are going to finish cooking in the sauce later.
Start on the sauce.
Here’s where it gets good! Add the onion and mushrooms to the pan and sauté until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are browned. Then, add the herbs and garlic. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. This will lift off any brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those bits are a combination of bacon, chicken, flour and salt that are all browned and caramelized and going to go in the sauce and make it taste amazing!
Stir in the chicken broth and check for seasonings. This is a crucial step that will make or break your finished dish. If your sauce is bland, your chicken will be bland. Taste it and add salt until it’s just right. Add the chicken back in and braise with the lid off for about 30 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
Finally squeeze fresh lemon juice over the whole thing and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
This chicken goes perfectly atop pretty much any carb. I love it with over Creamy Parmesan Polenta or Fluffy Garlic and Herb Rice!
Other Recipes to try:
Chicken Braised with Bacon, Mushrooms and Wine
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon thick cut, cut into lardons
- 1 cup flour all-purpose
- 1.5-2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 lb cremini muchrooms destemmed and diced
- 1 tsp fresh, chopped thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh, chopped rosemary
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- salt
Instructions
- Slice the breasts in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets, and if needed, place the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and use a mallet to pound them to about 1/2 inch thick.Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Dredge each chicken breast into the flour and shake off any excess.Render the bacon in a large pan or braiser. Remove the cooked bacon and set aside but keep the fat in the pan, then brown the chicken cutlets on medium heat until each side is golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Brown the cutlets 2 or three at a time to ensure even browning. Remove from the pan while making the sauce. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for about 3 minutes then add the mushrooms and sauté for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Last add the garlic and herbs and a good pinch of salt and sauté for just about a minute more. Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan then add the chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer then taste for seasonings. Add salt if needed then place the chicken cutlets back into the pan. Braise with the lid off for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half. Finish with fresh chopped parsley and the juice from half a lemon.
Delicious! This recipe has been added to our go-to family meals!