Slow Cooker Creamy Bacon Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

– 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

– 1 teaspoon garlic powder

– 1 teaspoon dried thyme

– Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

– 6 slices bacon

– 1 small onion, finely chopped

– 2 cloves garlic, minced

– 1 cup chicken broth

– 1 cup heavy cream

– 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

– ½ cup sour cream

– 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

– Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and let it drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon once it’s cool enough to handle.

3. In the bacon grease, sauté the onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker over the chicken.

4. Deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour this over the chicken as well.

5. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Mix the heavy cream and flour together, ensuring there are no lumps. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker along with the crumbled bacon. Cook on high for an additional 25-30 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

7. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy.

8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Variations & Tips

– If you’re catering to picky eaters, you can leave the onion out of the recipe and use onion powder for flavor instead.

– For a thicker sauce, you can use a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) instead of flour.

– To add a bit more green to your meal, try stirring in some spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking.

– For those busy days, you can use pre-cooked bacon or bacon bits to save on prep time.

– As always, ensure your slow cooker is not overloaded or too empty to ensure even cooking.

– And remember, the most important ingredient is a sprinkle of love!