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.
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 Needed:
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 Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Judi Sayers says
Could half and half be used?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, but it won’t be as thick. Heavy cream is a lot thicker than half and half. 🙂
Tena Medina says
Sorry I didn’t see anyone mention using frozen chicken? Would that be doable?
Sarah Olson says
I would add a touch more time if it was me. Other than that I don’t see why not!
Tia says
Trying this tonight. It sounds amazing (and smells amazing!). I tweak all recipes so to this one I sautéed some peas and carrots, in the pan that I drained the bacon grease from, then added to the crockpot about 30 minutes before we ate. Yum.
Sarah Olson says
Such a great idea! I may have to try that.
Ann says
Do you have the nutritional value for the chicken and bacon gravy recipe? It would be helpful if you could list nutritional values when you post recipes. Your recipes are always good. Thank you.
Sarah Olson says
Hi Ann,
I don’t post the nutritional values since every brand has different stats. This is high in calories and sodium for sure.
Cody says
cooled on low for 6 hours and turned out amazing! So good!
Sarah Olson says
Thanks for letting us know how it did on low for you! That’s great to hear!
Leslie says
Hi there. Sounds great! Has anyone every added frozen veggies (broccoli or peas)? If you have or not, at what time should they be added?
Sarah Olson says
Peas would only take a minute or too to thaw at the end in the gravy. Broccoli I would add the last hour and a half.
Lin says
That sounds gooood!
DialloKreed says
Did anyone try slow cooking on low for 7/8 hours yet? I want to start this and go to work. I’m worried if it will come out the same. Help!
Debbie Wechter says
I only have chicken legs, will they work. Maybe at the time you shred the breast I would take them off the bone? Would the cook time be the same? Thanks, Debbie
Sarah Olson says
I think the same amount of cook time would be good. Yes shred them at the end of the cooking time. Sounds great!
Debbie Wechter says
Thank you for getting back so quickly! I don’t know how many times I’ve asked questions about a recipe that I wanted to make that day and never heard back.
Emily says
This was absolutely delicious! A tiny bit too salty so I will look for low sodium items for making it in the future or see what else I can do about the salt. Had over egg noodles since I did not have potatoes or boxed potatoes on hand. I definitely shared my experience and the link on facebook and I hope to try more recipes after finally pulling my crock pot out of storage to try this. Thanks!
Sarah Olson says
That’s great! Thank you for your feedback.
Susan Wetzel says
My first try is cooking right now. But, I will be serving it over Bisquick biscuits hot from the oven.
Duffie Redenbaugh says
hope you made the 7-up bisquick biscuits so much better then the regular recipe on box. if you aren’t familiar with this recipe just Google 7-up bisquick biscuits and you’ll find the recipe
Rio Harper says
I made this today and it’s good but the thyme is too overpowering. Still good but maybe I will try a different brand of dried thyme next time or maybe 1/2tsp. Mine was from a fruit and veggie market and seemed too powerful! Thx
Sarah Olson says
was it ground thyme? That would make it too strong.
LaWanda says
Hi Sarah! I made your recipe a few days ago, and it was just as I expected, so yummy! My guys gobbled it up. I am making Swedish meatballs tomorrow. Do you think I could use the same ingredients you used to make the gravy, only substituting brown gravy mix and water, and sour cream instead of the cream? Many thanks!
Sarah Olson says
Hi LaWanda! Yes I think that would work fine! I have a beef stroganoff recipe that I do that with.
Tracy says
I made this and husband loved it but I think I must have done something wrong it seems the gravy “broke” after I added the cream the sauce was really runny like too watery any ideas what went wrong, I added only the amount of water said in recipe?
Sarah Olson says
The only thing I can think of is maybe your chicken let off a bit more liquid after the cream was stirred in? I’m sorry that happened.