This creamy one pot chicken, bacon and peas is the sort of dinner that feels like a hug in a bowl. Everything cooks together in one pot – smoky bacon, tender chicken thighs, sweet peas and soft little gem lettuce – creating a light, creamy broth that’s perfect for mopping up with a thick slice of bread.
I’m a huge fan of one pot dinners. They’re quick, comforting and – most importantly – mean far fewer dishes to wash afterwards. If you’re looking for more easy dinners like this, you can browse all my one pan and one pot recipes here.
This dish is inspired by classic French flavours. The French have been cooking lettuce for years, and once you try it you’ll understand why. When simmered gently in the broth it becomes beautifully soft and slightly sweet, losing any bitterness it might have when eaten raw.
The whole thing is ready in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for a cosy weeknight dinner! Serve it just as it is with plenty of crusty bread, or add pasta, rice or mashed potatoes if you want something a little more substantial.
If you enjoy easy dinners like this, you might also like my One Pot Mexican Bean Stew, One Pot Sausage, Pepper and Pea Pasta, One Pot Chicken and Green Olive Tagine or One Pot Cheesy Pesto and Spinach Pasta.
Why You’ll Love This One Pot Chicken, Bacon and Peas
There’s something particularly satisfying about a dinner that comes together in one pot. Not only does it mean less washing up (always a win), but it also allows all the flavours to build together as the dish cooks.
In this recipe, smoky bacon forms the savoury base of the broth, while chicken thighs simmer gently until tender and juicy. Frozen peas add little bursts of sweetness and colour, while the little gem lettuce softens into the sauce, adding a delicate freshness that balances the richness of the bacon and creme fraiche.
Like many of my favourite one pot dinners, it’s also wonderfully flexible. Serve it with bread to mop up the broth, or add pasta, rice or mashed potato if you want something a little more substantial.
Cooking Lettuce – Trust Me on This One
Cooking lettuce might sound a little unusual if you’ve only ever eaten it raw in salads. But in French cooking, braised lettuce has been a thing for years, and once you try it you’ll quickly see why.
When lettuce cooks gently in a broth or sauce it loses its crisp bite and becomes soft, silky and slightly sweet. The heat removes any bitterness, leaving behind a delicate flavour that works beautifully with creamy sauces and savoury ingredients like bacon.
Little gem lettuce is ideal for this dish because it holds its shape well and has a lovely mild flavour. If you can’t find little gem, you could also use romaine lettuce.
It’s one of those small cooking tricks that feels a bit surprising the first time you try it, but once you do, you’ll start adding cooked lettuce to all sorts of dishes!
The Ingredients
- Smoked bacon rashers – smoky bacon gives this dish the most delicious savoury base. Don’t be tempted to switch for unsmoked.
- Chicken thighs – thighs are best for this dish because they stay moist when cooked in the sauce. You could use chicken breast, but the meat will be tougher.
- Garlic – the base of any good French dish! Use three large cloves, more if they’re small.
- Spring onions – add to the lightness in this dish. You could switch for normal brown onion.
- Chicken stock – or a litre of water and a chicken stock cube.
- Bay leaves – for that wonderful fragrance. Fresh bay leaves are best.
- Frozen peas – the little bursts of sweetness from frozen peas are absolutely divine.
- Little gem lettuces – little gem cooks nicely in this dish. Try to use this if you can get it.
- Creme fraiche – this dish is rich enough with the bacon not to need heavy cream. Creme fraiche works perfectly.
- Parsley – a big handful of fresh parsley is the perfect finish.
What To Serve With One Pot Chicken, Bacon and Peas
One of the best things about this dish is how adaptable it is. The creamy broth makes it perfect for soaking up with something hearty.
Here are a few of my favourite ways to serve it:
- Crusty bread – probably the best option. A thick slice of bread is perfect for mopping up every last drop of the sauce.
- Cheese on toast – this is a slightly indulgent option but it works wonderfully. Think of it as a bit like the cheesy croutons you might serve with French onion soup.
- Mashed potatoes – ideal if you want something extra comforting.
- Rice or pasta – both soak up the creamy sauce beautifully and turn the dish into an even more substantial meal.
Of course, it’s also perfectly delicious eaten just as it is with a fork and a spoon.
Top Tips
- Get ahead This is a perfect meal for freezing. Cool completely, then put in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly and cook through before serving.
- To serve You could eat this by itself, with bread or cheese on toast, or even with pasta, rice or mashed potato. It’s really versatile!
One Pot Chicken, Bacon and Peas
Ingredients
- 8 rashers streaky smoked bacon roughly chopped
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 spring onions
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 200 grams frozen peas
- 2 little gem lettuces
- 3 tablespoons creme fraiche
- Large handful chopped parsley
Instructions
- Put a casserole dish on a medium-high heat and add the bacon. Sizzle until it is starting to crisp and the fat has run out. Scoop the bacon out and put to one side.
- Add the chicken thighs and brown for 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and chopped spring onions; stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the bacon, chicken stock and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover; add the peas and roughly chopped lettuce, then stir in the creme fraiche. Bring back up to a simmer then stir in the parsley. Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
Notes
Variations
This dish is wonderfully flexible and easy to adapt depending on what you have in the fridge. You could add sliced mushrooms for extra earthiness, swap the peas for broad beans, or stir in a handful of spinach at the end instead of lettuce. A splash of white wine added with the stock also works beautifully and adds a little extra depth of flavour.