Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy
266 Comments Jan 14, 2024
Updated Aug 08, 2024
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Made with chicken breasts, crispy bacon, and chicken gravy mix, this Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy is a delicious, one-pot substitute for a restaurant-style dinner. It’s packed with so much flavor, that your family is sure to request this comfort food more often.
Serve this delicious meal alongside a generous helping of Slow Cooker Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes and Slow Cooker Green Beans.
Table of Contents
Why you should try this chicken with creamy bacon gravy recipe
You may have seen my other recipe for slow cooker chicken and gravy. It has always been a great basic recipe for adding extra ingredients to, but never bacon. The idea for this recipe came to me when I had a delicious crispy breaded chicken with bacon gravy the other night at our favorite restaurant.
Although I can’t do crispy chicken in the slow cooker, I sure can do the chicken and bacon gravy! I’ve found this chicken and gravy recipe to be super easy to make, especially with minimal ingredients. The prep time is quick and the cooking time is perfect for yielding fork tender chicken. My family loved this restaurant-style rendition of smothered chicken with creamy gravy – yours will too!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are the best option to use for this recipe both for cooking evenly and shredding easily.
- Chicken Gravy: You’ll need two packets of chicken gravy dry mix.
- Bacon: Sliced and cooked.
- Seasonings: Pepper, dried thyme, and minced garlic (or garlic powder) are the only seasonings you need for an amazing taste.
- Water: Mixed with the chicken gravy.
- Heavy Cream: This is added at the end as a thickening agent. You can use light cream or even half and half.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the pepper, thyme, garlic, and cooked crispy bacon.
Step Two – In a small bowl mix together the gravy mix packet and the 1¼ cup water until smooth.
Step Three – Pour the gravy over the chicken.
Step Four – Cover and cook on HIGH for 3.5 hours or on LOW for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. When the cooking time is done, shred the chicken with 2 forks.
Step Five – Add the heavy cream.
Step Six – Give everything a good stir and serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or a side of your choice. Enjoy!
How to serve
- This delicious chicken and gravy can be served over a bed of rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles.
- If you want to pair it with sides, I recommend green beans, roasted carrots, or a baked potato.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Just make sure they are boneless and skinless for the best results.
Yes. The gravy thickens during the cooking process. If you want it thicker, you can make a thickening slurry with flour and water or milk. Add the flour mixture after or with the heavy cream.
Place any remaining chicken and gravy in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to re-enjoy the leftovers, they can be warmed up over medium heat. This meal can also be frozen.
I don’t advise on frozen chicken for some studies suggest that it isn’t safe.
I have not personally tried it, but a reader did, and this is what she said: “I did the recipe as normal, on high pressure for 7 mins, and it came out fine! Not quite as flavourful as when done in the slow cooker but definitely a great option for when you need it in a hurry!”
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Slow Cooker Seasoning Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Gravy
- Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken with Rice
- Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Alpine Chicken
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Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 6 slices bacon, sliced and cooked
- 1.74 oz. chicken gravy dry mix packets, (2 PACKETS that are .87 oz. each)
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, ADD AT THE END
Instructions
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the pepper, thyme, garlic and bacon.
- In a small bowl mix together the gravy mix packet and the 1¼ cup water until smooth. Pour the gravy over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3.5 hours or on LOW for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- When the cooking time is done, add the heavy cream. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and give everything a gentle stir until the gravy and the cream are mixed.
- Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Place any remaining chicken and gravy in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to re-enjoy the leftovers, they can be warmed up over medium heat. This meal can also be frozen.
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breasts, just make sure they are boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Love, love, love this recipe!! The last few times I’ve made it it’s ended up really watery…any suggestions on how I can thicken the gravy? Thanks!
Make sure your chicken is thawed and dried well. Try to find the thickest heavy cream your store carries, mine is usually the store brand. And if that fails, you can always add a little less water next time.
Can I use frozen chicken? How much longer?
I don’t give advice on frozen chicken for some studies suggest that it isn’t safe.
I my hubs does NOT like shredded chicken. The recipe looks good, I’ll just try not to mix it too much while chicken is still in the pot. ♀️
I’ve accidentally used chicken stock instead of gravy and the dish is soo salty!! Do you have any tips or suggestions to help save this dish for me? Thank you
I would serve it over rice or unsalted potatoes.
Slice a potato in half, lay on top to absorb the excess salt
This is now a fam fave and In the monthly rotation. I’m not trying to sound like one of “those” people who complain about a recipe yet they changed the entire thing, , but I do add a tiny dash of cayenne and a little no sodium Tony’s. It just gives it a little oompth . Also, I’ve noticed different brands of chicken gravy packets need a little dash of added bouillon powder. So if anybody finds it a little bland, it’s probably the chicken gravy. Just add a dash of chicken bouillon powder (granules, broth, cubes..)
I’ve been making this regularly for years and love it! I recently moved and had to get rid of my slow cooker sadly, but I got an instant pot instead. I did the recipe as normal, on high pressure for 7 mins, and it came out fine! Not quite as flavourful as when done in the slow cooker but definitely a great option for when you need it in a hurry!
Thank you for that info!
This is so good and easy to make!!! Family loved it!!!
Can this be frozen?
Yes, this will freeze fine.
Hi Sarah,
I can’t wait to try this . Can I use light cream, or even half and half instead of the heavy cream?
Yes, that should work great.
Can you use bone-in chicken breasts?
Yes. Those will work fine. I usually remove the skin before serving.
Is heavy whipping cream the same as heavy cream?
Yes 🙂