Bacon and Sour Cream Skillet Chicken

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 07/28/21
Easy skillet chicken with bacon

The Spruce
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 33 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
229 Calories
12g Fat
5g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 229
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 453mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 280mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Dinner under 40 minutes? A dream. But a delicious lip-smacking chicken dinner in that amount of time? That's perfection. Our convenient skillet chicken and bacon recipe is ready in a pinch and will satisfy everyone at your table. Filling chicken, smokey bacon, and a decadent, creamy sour cream sauce will put this dinner at the top of your family's wish list. For a wholesome and delicious dinner, serve with mashed potatoes or noodles, and roasted broccoli or a green salad. Use the leftover chicken for sandwiches or wraps, or quickly reheat it in the microwave for a last-minute lunch.

This skillet dinner is made with simple everyday ingredients, but it has plenty of room for substitutions that you might find suitable. Mushrooms, fresh baby spinach, chopped kale, or perhaps some finely diced green peppers are all excellent ingredients to complement the flavors of the chicken and bacon. Additionally, as the creamy base screams of richness, a generous handful of Parmesan cheese or sharp cheddar right before you serve the chicken on the plates will complement the recipe wonderfully.

We found that the sour cream gives the perfect balance of creaminess to tartness, which is great when you're eating something so indulgent as bacon. However, this recipe can also be adjusted to your dietary needs and preferences. If you want it creamier and richer, use heavy cream. If you want it lighter, use half and half. Greek yogurt mixed with olive oil can also make a good substitution. But regardless of your choice, this recipe is a great alternative to the same old plain pan-fried chicken breast and won't take substantially much time out of your day.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 slices bacon

  • 2 to 3 chicken breasts

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chicken and bacon recipe ingredients
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  2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the bacon on a cooling rack and place it on top of a lined baking sheet. Always keeping an eye on it, cook the bacon in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until very crispy.

    Bacon on a grill
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  3. Once cooked, drain the bacon on a paper towel and dice. Reserve the drippings and bacon bits.

    Bacon and grease
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  4. Pound the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until thinned and even in a thickness of about 1/2-inch. This helps the chicken to cook more evenly and faster, too. 

    Plastic on chicken breast for pounding
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  5. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Turn and repeat with the seasoning and flour.

    Chicken dusted with salt and pepper
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  6. Place a few teaspoons of the bacon drippings and the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the chicken breasts.

    Chicken sautéing in a pan
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  7. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

    Chicken cooking in a pan
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  8. Remove the chicken to a plate and reserve.

    Chicken on plate
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  9. Add the green onions and garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for about one minute, until the green onion is softened. Remove the onion mixture to a bowl and set aside.

    Green onions in a pan
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  10. Return the chicken to the skillet and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

    Chicken cooking in a skillet with broth
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  11. Remove the cover, add the onion mixture back and the diced bacon and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until hot.

    Chicken cooking in broth, green onions and bacon
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  12. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and bacon mixture to a serving dish.

    Chicken and bacon on a plate
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  13. Stir the sour cream into the remaining liquid in the skillet, cooking and stirring just until hot and well blended. Do not boil.

    Sour cream mixture in a pan
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  14. Pour the sour cream sauce over the chicken and bacon. Garnish the chicken with fresh chopped parsley.

    Skillet Chicken with Bacon and Sour Cream
    The Spruce

  15. Enjoy!