Chicken Thighs with Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Sauce

4 chicken thighs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning (dried thyme, oregano)

 

6 oz. white mushrooms

5 slices bacon, cooked, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 sprigs snipped fresh thyme

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Season both sides of chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper and Italian herb seasoning mix (usually a combination of dried thyme, oregano and other herbs). Heat vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, on the skin side until nicely browned. Transfer chicken thighs, skin side up, to the foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until chicken thighs are completely cooked through and no longer pink in the center. In the meantime, make the mushrooms sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms (without salting – to ensure the mushrooms get caramelized) and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes flipping once. Add chopped cooked bacon to the skillet. Add heavy creamy, 1/8 teaspoon salt and snipped fresh thyme, bring to boil, stir, immediately reduce to simmer and simmer for about 2 minutes on very low heat for flavors to blend and sauce to reduce a bit. Taste and add more salt if needed. When chicken is done baking and chicken thighs are completely cooked through, add cooked chicken thighs to the skillet and spoon the sauce and the mushrooms on top of chicken thighs.