Chicken Supreme

Prepare the chicken - Place the chicken breasts on a plate and sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Flip and season the other side with the remaining salt and pepper. Set aside and let sit at room temperature.

Crisp up the bacon - Add the bacon to a large (at least 10-inch) frying pan or cast iron skillet. Set over medium heat. Move it around the pan every so often. As the fat renders out of the bacon, it will start to crisp up. Once crispy and brown all over, about 8 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Sear the chicken - Use a fresh paper towel to pat the top side of all the chicken breasts dry. Add dried side down, to the frying pan you crisped the bacon in. Let cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 minutes more. Once both sides are well seared, transfer to a plate; the chicken will not be fully cooked at this point, and that's okay.

Make the sauce - Add the olive oil to the pan, then place the mushrooms cut side down into the oil. Let cook until they start to shrink, soften, and brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute, then deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has reduced by about half (about 2 minutes), add the chicken broth and the heavy cream.

Finish and serve - Nestle the chicken breasts back into the pan and turn the heat up to high to bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and let simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced and the chicken is cooked through (registers 165°F in the thickest part), about 10 to 15 minutes. Before serving with your choice of sides, season the sauce to taste with more salt and pepper and top with the crispy bacon and fresh parsley or chives (if using).