These low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs taste so delectable, you'll completely forget you're on a restricted diet! Made with low FODMAP quantities of canned mushrooms and coconut milk to make a rich, decadent sauce, this chicken thighs recipe adapted for low FODMAP from 40 Aprons will become your go-to guilty-pleasure comfort food dish. In addition to being low FODMAP, this Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs recipe is also Paleo and Whole30 compliant, dairy-free and gluten-free. When served over the low FODMAP option of my Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes, they taste even more spectacular!
Although insanely delicious, please note that this chicken recipe is high in fat. Fat can be an IBS trigger for some people. Consult your doctor or dietitian before making this recipe with concerns about how your body might react.
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Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs: The Best Tasting Food You'll Ever Put in your Mouth
I discovered the original recipe on 40 Aprons ages ago, before I ever knew what FODMAPs were. The original recipe was literally one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life, and when served over garlic mashed potatoes, it was like an explosion of amazingly rich and creamy flavor.
Unfortunately for me, the original recipe calls for garlic and baby bella (a.k.a. cremini) mushrooms. Garlic is not FODMAP friendly, and cremini mushrooms haven't been tested for FODMAPs yet. As most mushrooms are high in FODMAPs, I personally assume (based on absolutely no expertise) they're high in FODMAPs, too.
So, when I started with the low FODMAP diet, I couldn't imagine life without eating this recipe. What kind of life would that be? A bland one, that's what. Therefore, I adapted it for low FODMAP so the food in my life wouldn't be so bland. I also tried to convert it to an Instant Pot recipe, but I couldn't achieve the same depth of flavor using the Instant Pot. And when it comes to choosing between flavor vs. a kitchen gadget, flavor always wins.
I believe this is only the second skillet dinner recipe I've ever posted to the blog, the first being the also delectable Low FODMAP Chimichurri and Broccoli Skillet. Although incredibly delicious and healthy, that one doesn't have bacon. If you're looking for a true comfort food skillet, these Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs are the way to go.
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make these Low FODMAP Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs includes:
- Stove top and oven (I use convection)
- Large, oven safe skillet (mine is 11 inches. I'm not linking to it here as I don't love it and wouldn't recommend buying it.)
- Paper towels
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tongs
- Large plates x 2
- Fine mesh sieve or colander (for rinsing the mushrooms)
- Stirring spoon
- Instant read thermometer
- Oven mitt
- Cutting board and knife
Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs: Ingredients & Success Tips
Bacon
To start this low FODMAP chicken thighs recipe, I preheat the oven to 375°F, using convection. Then, I place my large, oven safe skillet on medium heat, and place the bacon in the skillet. I typically cut each strip in half to enable more even cooking. If you prefer to keep the bacon strips whole, feel free to do so. You do you.
I use a low sodium bacon as it don't contain nitrates or sugar. If you decide to use a regular bacon, you may want to decrease the amount of salt in this recipe.
Once cooked crisp (about 7-8 minutes), I remove the bacon to a large plate covered with paper towels to drain. Then, I remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon from the skillet.
Chicken Thighs
For this recipe, I use 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The original recipe calls for 4, but my husband and I find that we can't just eat one chicken thigh. We also like having lots of leftovers.
While the bacon is cooking, I dry the chicken thighs with paper towels. Then, I sprinkle them with salt, fresh ground black pepper, and ½ tablespoon of the Italian seasoning. I use my homemade blend of low FODMAP Italian seasoning, but there are store-bought options that are also low FODMAP (check the labels for any added garlic or onion).
Once the skillet is back on the heat, I add 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil, and swirl the skillet to coat. Then, I add the chicken thighs, seasoned side down, and allow them to sear without disturbing them for 7 minutes. While searing, I season the back sides (the sides facing up in the pan) with more salt, pepper, and the other ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
Once seared, using tongs, I flip the chicken thighs over in the skillet to the opposite, unseared side, and place the skillet in the oven. I roast the chicken thighs in the oven for 15-18 minutes or an instant read thermometer, when inserted into the largest thigh, reads 165°F. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your thighs, your particular oven, etc. It usually takes all of 18 minutes for my thighs to get to temperature and lose their internal pinkness.
Sauce
Once the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F, using an oven mitt, I remove the skillet from the oven. It's important to be careful from this point forward to never touch the skillet handle with your bare hand. I've done that a number of times when I first started learning how to cook, and it's very painful. You also don't want to just set an oven mitt or towel over the handle unless it's specifically designed for that purpose. This can be a fire hazard. I typically just wear the oven mitt on the hand I expect to use to grab the handle - typically the left while I stir with the right. It's kind of awkward but can save you a lot of agony.
Using a fresh set of tongs, I remove the chicken from the skillet to a large plate. Then, I place the skillet over medium high heat on the stove top. Once the juices in the skillet start to bubble again, I add the canned mushrooms and stir fry them for about 2 minutes.
Are canned mushrooms low FODMAP?
Most mushrooms in general are high in FODMAPs, but oyster mushrooms and canned mushrooms are low FODMAP in small quantities according to Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App. As oyster mushrooms are not as readily available to me locally, I have chosen to use canned mushrooms for this recipe.
The FODMAP information available for canned mushrooms can be highly confusing. As of the date of this writing, Monash University lists canned mushrooms as low FODMAP in quantities of up to 6 mushrooms or 75 grams. When I buy a can of mushrooms, however, the weight of the can is listed in fluid ounces or milliliters, which includes the weight of the mushrooms AND the brine. When I eat my canned mushrooms, you don't eat the brine because:
- it's kinda gross; and
- it contains the FODMAPs that were leached out the of the mushrooms during the canning process.
Because the weight of the brine is included in the weight listed on the can, this is confusing when it comes to determining the quantity of canned mushrooms one can have for a low FODMAP serving.
To remedy this confusion, I opened a can of sliced mushrooms, poured the contents of the can into a fine mesh sieve, and rinsed the mushrooms with cold water in the sink. Then, I weighed the mushrooms on my kitchen scale. The weight of the drained and rinsed mushrooms came to 162 grams. When divided across 6-8 servings that this low FODMAP chicken thighs recipe produces, this amounts to around 20-27 grams of mushrooms per serving, which is well below the tolerable amount of 75 grams per serving listed by Monash. Granted, I did this test with a kitchen scale and not lab quality equipment, so these weights might vary just a bit. As it's well below the tolerable amount per serving, this leaves some room for error.
Coconut Milk and Seasonings
Once I've stir fried the mushrooms for a few minutes, I add 1 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper to the skillet and stir. I bring the sauce to a boil and then quickly reduce the temperature to medium low to allow the sauce to slightly reduce and the flavors to blend for 3-4 minutes. You don't want to reduce the sauce too greatly as that's where the best flavor of this recipe comes from.
I remove the skillet promptly from the heat. Then, I chop the bacon into little pieces and add to the sauce. I taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. If the sauce tastes too coconutty, I add salt and pepper until the coconut flavor dissipates.
Baby Spinach (Optional)
Once the sauce is seasoned to my liking, I add the baby spinach (if using it) and stir it into the sauce until slightly wilted. Monash University lists baby spinach as low FODMAP in quantities of up to 1 ½ cups or 75 grams per serving. This recipe calls for just 1 cup across 6-8 servings.
Although the original recipe doesn't call for spinach, I've added spinach to try to sneak some leafy green veggies into the dish. Eaten in this rich, decadent sauce, you barely even taste them. So if you have any spinach haters in your home, this might be a good way to sneak in some spinach.
Serve
Lastly, I add the chicken thighs back to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them to coat. I serve them over the low FODMAP option of my Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Or, if you're not eating Paleo/Whole30, you could serve them over my low FODMAP Instant Pot Quinoa (although if you do that, you'll want to omit the spinach in this recipe as they both contain the FODMAP fructans and might result in FODMAP stacking), white or brown rice, or your low FODMAP starch of choice.
Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 5 slices nitrate-free low sodium bacon
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon low FODMAP Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 10 ounce can sliced mushrooms, canned in brine, drained and rinsed*
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk*
- ½ - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 cup baby spinach, optional*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large, oven safe skillet (mine is 11 inches), cook bacon over medium heat on the stove top until crisp, about 7-8 minutes.
- While bacon is cooking, dry chicken thighs with paper towels and season the top side with salt, pepper, and ½ tablespoon of the Italian seasoning.
- Once the bacon is done cooking, remove to a plate covered with paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.
- Place skillet back on the stove top on medium heat. Add garlic-infused olive oil and swirl the pan to coat. Add chicken, seasoned side down, and sear without disturbing for 7 minutes. While the chicken is searing, sprinkle the bottom side of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and the remaining ½ tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- Once seared, using tongs, flip the chicken thighs over and place skillet in the preheated oven. Roast chicken for 15-18 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°F. Using an oven mitt, remove chicken from the oven, using great care from this point forward not to touch the uncovered skillet handle.
- Using a fresh set of tongs, remove chicken to a large plate. Place skillet back on the stove top on medium high heat. Once the juices in the skillet start to bubble, add mushrooms and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, ½-1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to the skillet, stir and bring to a boil, immediately reducing the heat to medium low once liquid is boiling. Simmer the sauce over medium low heat until blended and slightly reduced, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat.
- Chop bacon into small pieces, add to the skillet, and stir. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as desired. If the sauce tastes too coconutty, add small amounts of additional salt and pepper until the coconut taste dissipates. Add baby spinach (if using it) and stir into the sauce until slightly wilted. Carefully tilt the plate the chicken is resting on slightly over the skillet to add the juices to the sauce and stir (leave no flavor behind!). Add chicken back to the skillet and spoon sauce over chicken to coat.
- Serve over the low FODMAP option of my Instant Pot “Garlic” Mashed Potatoes, low FODMAP Instant Pot Quinoa (if not eating Paleo/Whole30 - omit spinach in this recipe to prevent FODMAP stacking), rice (if not eating Paleo/Whole30), or your low FODMAP starch of choice.
Notes
- Please note: this recipe, although insanely delicious, is high in fat, which can be an additional IBS trigger for some people. Consult your doctor or dietitian with concerns of how your body might react before making this recipe.
- Canned mushrooms: According to Monash University’s Low FOMDAP Diet App, mushrooms canned in brine, drained and rinsed, are low FODMAP in quantities of up to 75 grams per serving. One 10-ounce (284 milliliters) can sliced mushrooms, once drained and rinsed, contains about 162 grams of mushrooms. Across 6-8 servings, this amounts to about 20-27 grams of mushrooms per serving.
- Coconut milk: Monash University lists canned coconut milk (without inulin) as low FODMAP in quantities of up to ¼ cup or 60 grams per serving.
- Baby spinach: Monash University lists baby spinach as low FOMDAP in quantities of up to 1 ½ cups or 75 grams per serving.
- Cooking time in the oven largely depends on the size of your chicken thighs. The thighs I use tend to be fairly large, so they usually take about 17-18 minutes of baking time (using convection) to reach an internal temp of 165°F.
- Recipe adapted from 40 Aprons
Fenreya says
I’m so glad low fodMap doesn’t have to mean low flavor.
This recipe is absolutely delicious and very easy to make. The chicken is so juicy and flavorful and the sauce isn’t good enough to eat with a spoon!
I served mine over mashed potatoes and put the leftovers on rice. Both ways are super delicious.
The only thing I’m gonna do differently when I make it again is to sprinkle the bacon on top instead of mixing it into the sauce. But that’s personal preference for really crispy bacon.
Gail says
I'm so glad you liked it, Fenreya! Thanks for trying it and for your amazing feedback!