What is the answer to that age-old question, "what's for dinner tonight?" Instead of struggling at the last minute or getting take-out food, why not have some incredible Mushroom and Bacon Chicken Thighs ready and waiting in the slow cooker. You won't find any mushroom soup in this dish, but you will find plenty of flavor. Onions, celery, and, of course, mushrooms season the tender thighs. The bacon adds a bit of smokey-salty flavor. Try the chicken thighs with noodles or rice and a green vegetable or salad. You won't get any complaints about "chicken again!" if you serve this dish.
Mushroom and Bacon Chicken Thighs -- Serves 4+
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds)
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
8 ounces of mushrooms (I use baby bellas), sliced
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
3-4 tablespoons of bacon bits
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup of flour
1/2 cup of milk
Parsley or dried parsley flakes (optional)
Coat the insert of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and turn the cooker to high. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1-2 tablespoons of water for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened a little. While the vegetables are cooking, put the chicken thighs in the slow cooker in one layer. Sprinkle the thighs with the garlic powder, poultry seasoning, thyme, salt, pepper, and bacon bits. Cover the thighs with the microwaved vegetables. In a large bowl or measuring container, combine the chicken broth, sour cream, flour, and milk and whisk everything together well. Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker, turn down the heat to low, and let the chicken cook for about 4 hours or until very tender. Stir the sauce well and, if you'd like, sprinkle a little parsley or dried parsley over the chicken before you serve it. If the sauce is a little to thin for your preference, you can thicken it by stirring in a cornstarch slurry (1/4 cup of milk, plus 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch, stirred together until the cornstarch dissolves). Simply turn up the heat to high, and gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the slow cooker and serve the chicken over rice, noodles, or whatever you'd like.
