I’m learning to always keep bacon on hand in case of emergencies. I’ve loved bacon all my life (who hasn’t?!) but don’t always want to cook it all at once. As I’m typing this, I realize that I DO want to cook it all at once and eat it immediately. But thank you Lord for self-control! I find that freezing bacon and just taking out a strip or two to add some incredibly, salty smoky flavor to a recipe can really be amazing. A-MAZE-ING!

My husband recently told me that he was sick of chicken because it’s so often dry and flavorless. Of course he’s not talking about my cooking…well .. maybe… BUT I’ve had some flops recently and we went “chicken-less” for a few weeks. This was my re-chicken-introductory meal.

Chicken thighs are nearly impossible to overcook and contain much more flavor than chicken breast. I challenged myself to make a sauce without cream or grains. I used tapioca starch, similar to an arrowroot or corn starch, to create more of a sauce. I served this alongside green beans and the rest is history.  Potatoes or mashed cauliflower would be a great side dish as well.

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 strips of bacon, chopped
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 cup milk (I used coconut)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the bacon is slightly still raw but mostly cooked through. Add onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is tender 4-5 minutes. Remove all from skillet.
2. Turn heat up to medium high. Generously salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides. Cook chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes on each side. Return the bacon, onion and garlic to the skillet. Add mushrooms, milk and rosemary to the skillet. Cook covered over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.
3. Take 1/2 cup of the liquid from the skillet in a mug. Add tapioca starch and mix until completely combined (I did this with a blender to ensure no clumps).
4. Return the tapioca slurry to the skillet and mix. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!