A few weeks back, my old college roommate came to town for the weekend. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and she had a knack for showing up hungry—emotionally and culinarily. After a long catch-up over coffee, I found myself scanning the fridge for something comforting but elevated, something that would make us both pause mid-bite and go, “Okay, wow.”
There were a few chicken breasts, a pack of thick-cut bacon, and an unopened jar of Dijon mustard. Not much else, honestly. But when you’ve cooked with love for years, those few ingredients can become something special. I remembered a version of a creamy mustard chicken I’d once tried during a visit to my aunt’s farmhouse. She made it with fresh cream, a touch of honey from her backyard bees, and bacon so smoky it lingered in the air for hours.
I recreated it in my small, city kitchen—with a few tweaks of my own. The sauce came together like silk, wrapping around each bite of seared chicken, while the crispy bacon brought a hit of crunch and richness. We plated it, poured some wine, and let that skillet moment do what it does best: make people feel at home again.
Short Description
Creamy honey mustard chicken with crispy bacon is a flavorful, one-skillet dish featuring seared chicken breasts simmered in a rich, sweet-tangy sauce with crumbled bacon and a touch of fresh parsley for brightness.
Key Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, for extra tang)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Tools Needed
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Meat thermometer
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let them sit for a few minutes while you prepare the pan—this helps lock in the flavor during searing.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Once cool, crumble and set aside. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet to boost flavor.
Step 3: Sear the Chicken
Add olive oil and butter to the skillet with the bacon grease and heat over medium-high. Once hot and shimmering, place the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet.
Cook for 6–7 minutes per side, or until golden brown with an internal temp of 165°F (74°C). Remove from skillet and set aside on a plate.
Step 4: Make the Creamy Sauce
Reduce heat to medium. Add the heavy cream, honey, Dijon mustard, and optional apple cider vinegar to the same skillet. Stir well, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the pan. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
Step 5: Combine Chicken and Sauce
Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon the sauce generously over them and let them simmer for 2–3 minutes, allowing the flavors to soak in.
Step 6: Add Bacon
Stir most of the crumbled bacon into the sauce, leaving a small handful for garnish. Mix to combine.
Step 7: Serve
Plate the chicken and drizzle with extra sauce. Sprinkle remaining bacon and freshly chopped parsley over the top. Serve warm with mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
– Perfectly balanced sweet and savory flavor
– Crispy bacon adds a satisfying texture contrast
– Quick enough for weeknights, special enough for guests
– One-pan magic = less cleanup
– Customizable to fit your taste (or what’s in your fridge)
– Protein-packed and comforting
– Goes well with nearly any side
Mistakes to Avoid & Solutions
Mistake 1: Overcooking the Chicken
Solution: Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken off the heat at 165°F. Overcooked chicken dries out fast.
Mistake 2: Sauce Breaking or Curdling
Solution: Don’t boil the sauce. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir regularly to help it emulsify properly.
Mistake 3: Adding Cold Ingredients to the Hot Pan
Solution: Let the cream come to room temp before adding it. Cold dairy can cause the sauce to split.
Mistake 4: Not Deglazing the Pan
Solution: Always scrape up the brown bits at the bottom when making the sauce—they add layers of flavor.
Mistake 5: Using Low-Fat Cream
Solution: Stick to full-fat heavy cream for the best texture. Lower-fat versions might not thicken well or could separate.
Serving and Pairing Suggestions
Serve over buttery mashed potatoes or fluffy white rice to soak up the sauce.
Roasted green beans, broccoli, or asparagus make great veggie sides.
Pair with crusty bread and a glass of lightly chilled Chardonnay.
For a family-style meal, slice the chicken before serving and let everyone drizzle their own sauce.
Try it buffet-style with a side salad and roasted potatoes for casual gatherings.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: The chicken and sauce freeze well. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of cream or broth to keep the sauce silky. Avoid microwaving to prevent the sauce from breaking.
FAQs
1. Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes! Boneless, skinless thighs work great and are even more forgiving if overcooked. Just adjust the cook time slightly.
2. Is heavy cream necessary?
For best texture, yes. You can substitute with half-and-half, but the sauce will be thinner. Avoid using milk.
3. Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely. Prepare the full dish, refrigerate, and reheat gently before serving. Bacon may lose some crunch, so consider adding fresh crumbles when serving.
4. What’s a good honey substitute?
Maple syrup offers a similar sweetness with a deeper flavor. Start with ¼ cup and adjust to taste.
5. How do I make this dish lighter?
Swap heavy cream for coconut cream or a plant-based creamer, reduce the bacon, and use a lean protein like turkey cutlets.
Tips & Tricks
Let the chicken rest at room temp before searing—it cooks more evenly.
Always deglaze the pan—those browned bits hold tons of flavor.
Use a rubber spatula to keep the sauce smooth and prevent sticking.
If using thicker chicken breasts, consider slicing them in half horizontally for quicker, even cooking.
Don’t skip the fresh parsley—it adds a fresh lift to the rich sauce.
Recipe Variations
1. Creamy Maple Mustard Chicken
Swap honey with pure maple syrup and add a pinch of smoked paprika. The result is a deeper, slightly smoky sweetness.
2. Herb Mustard Chicken
Add a teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary or thyme to the sauce for an herbal twist that plays well with Dijon.
3. Spicy Kick Version
Stir in ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for some heat. Use spicy brown mustard instead of Dijon if you like a bold punch.
4. Dairy-Free Version
Replace cream with coconut cream and skip the butter. Use plant-based bacon or omit it altogether.
5. Vegetarian Spin
Replace chicken with thick slices of sautéed cauliflower or pan-fried tofu. Use veggie broth to thin the sauce if needed.
Final Thoughts
That evening with my college roommate reminded me how some dishes don’t need a long ingredient list to feel complete—they just need the right flavors coming together at the right time. The richness of the cream, the tang of the mustard, the sweetness of the honey, and that crispy bacon—it’s the kind of combination that makes you want to linger at the table just a little longer.
We sat there scraping sauce from the plate with bread, laughing over old memories and creating new ones without even meaning to. That’s the kind of food I want to keep making. Dishes that don’t just feed, but connect. If this creamy honey mustard chicken makes its way into your kitchen, I hope it brings the same warmth and pause to your day as it did to ours.
Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken With Crispy Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 slices of bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional, for extra tang
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let rest briefly.
- Cook bacon until crispy in a skillet. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. Keep 1 tbsp bacon grease in the pan.
- Heat olive oil and butter with bacon grease over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 6–7 minutes per side until golden and 165°F (74°C). Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add heavy cream, honey, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar (optional). Stir and simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, and simmer 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in most bacon, reserving some for garnish.
- Plate chicken, drizzle with sauce, top with remaining bacon and parsley. Serve warm.
