Smothered chicken breasts are my go-to recipe when I really want to impress someone. Creamy, cheesy, with smoky bacon and caramelized onions, and just about delicious, with just about a touch of lemon pepper to balance out the sweetness of the onions.
SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREAST
The first time I made this recipe, I was a bit skeptical about mixing all these flavors, but believe me when I tell you it’s a very balanced dish. It is truly decadent.
This is the kind of chicken entree you would find at a fancy restaurant. It is hard enough to think of new ways to make chicken for dinner, let alone great ones. Well, you have found one.
It is easy and with just a few steps, you will make your family think they are eating at a five-star restaurant.
HOW TO MAKE SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREASTS?
- Season the chicken breast halves with salt and lemon pepper on both sides
- In an oven-safe skillet, heat the vegetable oil and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Cook them until the juices run clear. Set aside and preheat the oven to 350F.
- Using the same skillet, cook bacon until brown and crispy. You may have to make it in batches. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain fat and crumble. Discard bacon fat from skillet, but leave about a teaspoon.
- Add the sliced onion and brown sugar to the skillet and cook until caramelized.
- Once caramelized, turn the heat off and add the heavy cream. Preheat the oven to 350F
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, top with the crumbled bacon.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- You can skip the heavy cream and add the bacon and cheese on top of the chicken breasts and bake until melted
- A splash of white wine while sauteing the onions gives them a great flavor
- Using ham instead of bacon cuts the fat down
- If you want to add a bit of heat, add chopped jalapenos
- Skip the bacon and add a teaspoon of dijon mustard to the cream sauce for a french twist
- If you don’t want to use sugar nor bacon, saute tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers until soft to make a sofrito and add the heavy cream to make a sauce. You can add Italian spices too.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREASTS?
This dish is so creamy and heavy, all you need is white rice or roasted potatoes and a side salad. The acidity of the salad is quite welcoming to cut down on the richness of the sauce.
RECIPE TIPS;
- Do not wash the skillet after browning the chicken or the bacon, all these drippings add flavor to the sauce.
- Use only the amount of lemon pepper suggested, do not add more.
- When adding the cream, don’t boil the sauce or it will become too thick
- Make sure the chicken breasts are cooked through before removing them from the skillet.
Smothered Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 strips bacon
- 1 onion, sliced
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Season the chicken breast halves with salt and lemon pepper on both sides
- In an oven-safe skillet, heat the vegetable oil and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Cook them until the juices run clear. Set aside and preheat the oven to 350f
- Using the same skillet, cook bacon until brown and crispy. You may have to make it in batches. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain fat and crumble. Discard bacon fat from skillet, but leave about a teaspoon.
- Add the sliced onion and brown sugar to the skillet and cook until caramelized
- Once caramelized, turn the heat off and add the heavy cream. Preheat the oven to 350f
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, top with the crumbled bacon
- Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly
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