Chicken and Bacon Creamed Corn Skillet

Name: Chicken and Bacon Creamed Corn Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 slices bacon, chopped; 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; garlic powder, to taste; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1 medium onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese; cooked rice, for serving

Seared chicken thighs are nestled into a rich cream sauce with bacon and corn, then finished in the oven for a complete one-pan meal that delivers restaurant-quality comfort food at home.

🌍American 🏷️Chicken thigh 🏷️Creamed corn 🏷️Bacon 🏷️One-pan meal Skillet dinner

🏷️

🏷️Comfort food

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TikTok

Total

1h

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
garlic powder, to taste
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
cooked rice, for servingoptional

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2
In a large oven-safe skillet, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
3
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously on all sides with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
4
Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot bacon fat and sear for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
5
Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
6
Stir in the corn kernels and fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7
Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the grated pecorino cheese until it melts and the sauce thickens slightly.
8
Stir the cooked bacon back into the creamed corn mixture.
9
Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin-side up.
10
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly.
11
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving, optionally over a bed of cooked rice.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pat chicken thighs dry before searing to ensure crispy, golden skin and better rendering of fat.
Render the bacon slowly over medium heat first to build deep flavor; reserve 2 tablespoons rendered fat for searing the chicken.
Check chicken doneness by piercing the thickest part—juices should run clear and internal temp should reach 165°F.
Use fresh thyme sprigs rather than dried for brighter, more delicate flavor in the cream sauce.

Substitutions

Heavy cream → half-and-half or whole milk (sauce will be lighter; add 1 tbsp cornstarch slurry to thicken)
Fresh thyme → 1 tsp dried thyme or fresh rosemary (reduce by half)
Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs → boneless skinless thighs (reduce oven time to 15 minutes and skip searing skin step)

Storage & make-ahead

Cover and refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, thinning with cream or broth as needed.

Equipment

12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel)

Common Questions

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, but reduce oven time to 15–20 minutes since breasts cook faster. Thighs stay more moist and tender in this cream sauce.

Can I make this on the stovetop only?

Yes. After searing the chicken and building the sauce, cover the skillet and simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temp.

Can I use frozen corn?

Absolutely. Frozen corn works just as well as fresh; no thawing needed. Add it directly to the sauce.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of cream or broth to restore sauce consistency.