Mississippi Mud Chicken (Printable)

Succulent chicken breasts in a creamy sauce loaded with bacon, mushrooms, and melted cheeses for an indulgent family dinner.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce & Toppings

06 - 6 strips bacon chopped
07 - 1 cup cremini or button mushrooms sliced
08 - 3 cloves garlic minced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
13 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 green onions sliced
15 - ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate.
03 - Add chopped bacon to the same skillet. Cook until crispy; remove and set aside, reserving about 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Add mushrooms and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 2–3 minutes to thicken slightly.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over each piece. Top with cooked bacon, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 15–18 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F) and cheese is melted and bubbling.
06 - Sprinkle with green onions and parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce alone has ended arguments in my house and made friends ask for the recipe before leaving
  • Bacon and heavy cream make everything better, but the Worcestershire adds this unexpected depth that keeps people guessing
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that if your chicken breasts are huge, you need to either pound them thinner or add 5 minutes to the oven time
  • The sauce will look thin when you first pour in the cream, but it thickens beautifully in the oven so trust the process
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest 5 minutes after baking, the sauce will thicken slightly and everything stays juicier
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts so much better in that cream sauce

Go Back