We all love Chicken dinners. This economical and versatile protein appears on tables everywhere. Mama D’s Kitchen turns out a lot of Chicken Dinners as I’ve shared in previous posts, but there’s always room for another dish, especially one as sinfully delicious and full of love as this.
I adapted this from a Crock Pot recipe that used bone in chicken thighs. This skillet dish is far removed from that, but it uses many of the same ingredients from the original recipe which includes: Kraft Savory Garlic Cooking Cream.
Yes, Mama D will use something pre-packaged if it is good quality and enhances the recipe. Do you ever use cream cheese thinned with a little milk to create a sauce? That’s basically what Cooking Cream is. The mixing is done for you and there’s some serious garlic flavor going on. It comes in various flavors but, the Savory Garlic is the best, in my opinion.
I used chicken tenders in this recipe. These are available in most stores both fresh and frozen. These slender little morsels are pricey, but you can create your own tenders from whole chicken breasts.
Buy whole boneless – skinless chicken breasts when they are on sale (several small local chains sell them this way). A few simple cuts with a good boning knife will give you tenders, filets and some chicken bits for casseroles, all at a much lower price. Cut the breast in half along its cleavage. Remove the tenderloin that runs along the underside. Cut some meat off the underside to give the filet an even playing field and you don’t need no stinkin’ pre-packaged tenders.
The sauce makes this recipe. Bacon, Onions and the Cooking Cream blend together into a velvety blanket for the Chicken. The Smashed Potatoes are a great base to hold the chicken and soak up the gravy. Add a salad or some sautéed green beans so that you have a balanced meal and can feel a little less guilty about the main dish. It can be on the table in relatively short order for a comforting weeknight dinner, but it would also dazzle company.
The season for “stick to your ribs” food is here. So give this recipe a try.
Love, Mama D
- 4 Strips Thick Cut Bacon Chopped in 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/4 Pound Chicken Tenders Approximately 12 tenders
- 2/3 Cup Flour Divided
- 1 Tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 Tsp. Bacon Salt
- 1 Large Onion Halved, then sliced thinly
- 1 Cup Chicken broth
- 1 Container Savory Garlic Cooking Cream Divided
- 5 - 6 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes Roughly peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 Cloves Garlic Smashed
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- Parsley optional
- Place the potatoes and the smashed garlic in a pot. Add water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes while you prepare the chicken and gravy. These can take care of themselves save a stir every now and then.
- In a large skillet cook bacon until it is lightly browned and has rendered some fat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.The bacon will cook more later when it is combined with the onions. Leave 2 Tablespoons of drippings in pan.
- In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour with the Paprika and Bacon Salt. Dredge chicken tenders in flour and transfer to the hot frying pan. Do not crowd the tenders. Brown in batches if they can't brown without touching. Turn to brown on all sides. This should take 7 -10 minutes or so. Remove from pan when browned and set aside.
- Return bacon to hot pan and add the onions. Toss to combine and coat with drippings. If the pan seems a little dry, add 1 - 2 tablespoons butter. Cook until onions are golden brown. Add remaining flour to pan and stir to incorporate the flour. Continue to cook 3 minutes or so stirrring often.
- Add the Chicken Broth and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Reduce heat to low and stir in 3/4 cup of the Savory Garlic Cooking Cream. Return the chicken tenders to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated, stirring and turning the chcken until it is evenly coated with the gravy. Continue to cook over medium/low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- When potatoes are cooked, drain and return to pan. Combine remaining cooking cream and milk and add to potatoes. Smash, leaving more than a few lumps . Keep warm until ready to plate.
- Spoon the potatoes onto four plates. Divede the tenders evenly on top of the potatoes. Spoon the rest of the gravy over everything. Garnish with parsely if desired.
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Mama D, this looks delicious. I will try it. I bet it would work just as well in a crock pot. I know you said you adapted this from a crock pot recipe. Thank you!
This looks delicious. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe.