Step 1

Butterfly your chicken breasts right through the centre to make 4 even sized breasts. Coat in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4-1/2 tsp pepper and rub into the meat.

Step 2

In a large pan over medium-high heat add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chicken breasts and fry both sides until golden, with the centre cooked right through. Remove and place to one side.

Step 3

Lower heat to medium and add bacon. Fry until it turns nice and crispy. Drain excess fat if needed (a couple tsp worth is great for flavour, too much and the sauce will be greasy) and add in shallots. Continue frying until the shallots soften and begin to brown, then add garlic and fry for another 1-2mins.

Step 4

Pour in chicken stock and cream, then add thyme and give it a stir. Turn heat to low and gently simmer for 5mins, or until the sauce starts to thicken slightly. Stir in parmesan then add a very gentle squeeze of lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Don't go overboard with the lemon, this is just to cut through the richness of the sauce. Give it a final stir and simmer for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.

Step 5

Add in chicken breasts and baste in the sauce. Serve up and enjoy!