Chicken with Bourbon Bacon Sauce

This dreamy recipe for chicken with bourbon bacon sauce turns your regular chicken supper into a dinner party level meal!

If you’ve been following along with me for even a little while now, you know that I am forever looking to sneak just a little bit of bacon into our supper (and even into dessert!).

And since spring is now out in all its glory here on our little piece of Carolina heaven, I figured that was as good a time as any to celebrate with a chicken dinner that is basically five ingredients but completely decadent enough for a dinner party.

When we first figured out our Carolina Dream House plans, the thing I immediately dreamed about after the house itself was adding about a million wildflower seeds to the meadow next to our house.

And look what’s happening!

I have a whole raft of pictures of other sweet little wildflower – purple and blue and pink and white – but since you thought you were getting a recipe for a delectable chicken dinner, I’m going to HOLD MYSELF BACK.

Except for the last of our daffodils. They started blooming in early March, and this guy is bringing up the rear as we move into wildflower season.

It’s the cheeriest thing! I’m hoping it is spring wherever you are…let’s celebrate with a winner, winner, chicken dinner.

But first let’s talk bourbon.

Cooking with bourbon

I am not a bourbon girl – I am 1000% a red wine girl – but I always have a small bottle tucked into my pantry because bourbon cooks down into a slightly sweet, rich flavor that is perfect with, well, chicken.

I like to go for a lower alcohol version (more on that later) like Cooper’s Craft because it lets the flavor of the dish shine through without being too sharp or overwhelming.

That slightly syrupy, slightly sassy taste is just the ticket for an elegant sauce.

Does cooking remove the alcohol from bourbon?

Somewhat…it all depends on how long you are cooking it for, and the level of heat. In a sauce like this one, the bourbon is probably going to give up about 50 percent of its alcohol, give or take.

So, while a half cup of bourbon mixed with the other ingredients, divided by four servings and reduced by 50% booziness isn’t going to get anyone in trouble, if you want to be completely sure you aren’t going to get any spirits in your supper, here’s a more angelic chicken dinner for you.

But if you are up for walking on the wild side, let’s cook it up!

How to make chicken with bourbon bacon sauce

Chop up six strips of the best bacon you know (in our house that means Dakin Farm!) in a large skillet until it is nice and crispy.  Scoop it out and let it drain on paper towels.  Watch out for bacon pilferers!

Heat the bacon drippings over medium high heat, season a few boneless chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add ‘em to the skillet. 

Cook for about 3 – 4  minutes per side or until an instant read thermometer reads 165.  Scoop them out and set aside.  (And yes, you can sub in boneless chicken thighs if you like them better – just cook them a little longer).

Add a couple of peeled and chopped shallots and stir for about 2 minutes until they start to soften.  

Pour in a half cup of bourbon, give everything a good stir, cover the skillet and let it all simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in a quarter cup of heavy cream – it doesn’t sound like much, but it will give this whole dish a perfect silky texture.

And speaking of stirring in the cream, this is a perfect chance to tell you about one of my can’t-live-without-it kitchen tools…the flat whisk.

It’s exactly what you think it is – a whisk that instead of having a round group of wire has a flat set of silicone wires.

It is the perfect thing for not only mixing up that sauce, but also for scooting any of those delectable bacon and chicken bits off the bottom. I heart my flat whisk.

Back to the recipe! Return the chicken to the skillet along with any juices and sprinkle in the bacon.  Turn the chicken a few times until it is heated through.  

Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. (I love this part.)

Last but not least, divide the chicken among plates, ladle on a generous amount of sauce, garnish with some fresh chopped parsley and serve it up!