Creamy Bacon-Wrapped Baked Chicken
🧀 Ingredients (serves 4–6)
For the chicken
-
4–6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-
8–12 slices bacon (thin or regular cut)
-
Salt & black pepper, to taste
-
1 tsp garlic powder
-
1 tsp paprika (smoked if you have it)
-
½ tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
For the creamy sauce
-
1½ cups heavy cream
-
½ cup chicken broth
-
1 cup shredded mozzarella
-
½ cup shredded cheddar or Gruyère
-
2 tbsp cream cheese (optional but 🔥 for richness)
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
Salt & pepper to taste
Topping
-
Extra shredded cheese (about ½ cup)
-
Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped
🔪 Prep
-
Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F
-
Lightly grease a baking dish (glass or ceramic works best).
-
If chicken breasts are thick, slice horizontally or pound slightly so they cook evenly.
🥓 Wrap the Chicken
-
Season chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and herbs.
-
Wrap each breast with 1–2 slices of bacon, slightly overlapping.
-
Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
Optional pro move:
Sear the bacon-wrapped chicken in a skillet for 2–3 minutes per side to jump-start browning.
🥣 Make the Creamy Sauce
-
In a saucepan over medium heat:
-
Add cream, broth, garlic, and cream cheese.
-
-
Stir until smooth and gently simmering (don’t boil).
-
Add mozzarella and cheddar, stirring until melted.
-
Season lightly with salt & pepper (cheese adds salt).
🧑🍳 Assemble
-
Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.
-
Sprinkle extra cheese on top.
-
Cover loosely with foil.
🔥 Bake
-
Bake 25 minutes covered.
-
Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until:
-
Bacon is golden
-
Sauce is bubbly
-
Internal temp hits 74°C / 165°F
-
-
Optional: broil 2–3 minutes for extra browning.
🌿 Finish & Serve
-
Rest 5 minutes
-
Sprinkle with fresh parsley
-
Spoon that creamy sauce over everything 😍
🍽 Serving Ideas
-
Mashed potatoes
-
Rice or buttered noodles
-
Steamed green beans or roasted broccoli
-
Crusty bread to mop the sauce (mandatory)
🔁 Easy Variations
-
Garlic parmesan: swap cheeses for parmesan + mozzarella
-
Mushroom lover: add sautéed mushrooms to the sauce
-
Spicy: add chili flakes or a splash of hot sauce
-
Low-carb: use all cream, no broth
