So, I opened up the freezer to see what I wanted to make for dinner and an idea literally jumped out at me. A package of bacon fell out of the freezer and almost landed on my foot. Apparently it was done living in the freezer... So what do you do with some chicken breasts you're not sure what to do with, and some suicidal bacon? Mix them together, of course!
So here is my "recipe" for some bacon wrapped chicken that I've made up. There's still room for improvement, and you can always add more ingredients, but I think it turned out surprisingly tasty! Not to mention it's pretty simple... Gotta love that!
Step 1: Start out with your chicken breast on top of a layer of plastic wrap, then another piece of plastic wrap on top.
Step 2: Then take out your anger and hit the chicken with your husband's hammer or a meat tenderizer. Be careful not to get holes in your chicken.
Step 3: Next, lay out some bacon on a plate. 2-4 pieces vertically, and 2 pieces horizontally (I used 4 because I was trying to use up the bacon). You can also substitute with turkey bacon.
Step 4: Lay your chicken in the center of the bacon. I also sprinkled a little bit of seasoning salt on the chicken. Mix together some cream cheese and garlic salt, or use the herb flavored cream cheese. Spread a layer of the mixture on the chicken, then add a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese.
Other filling ideas: Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Mozzarella cheese, jalapeños, green chilis, green onions, spinach, mushrooms, onion, and asparagus
Step 5: Roll the chicken up a little and fold up the horizontal pieces of bacon, making sure the sides are covered. then fold up the vertical pieces and secure with a toothpick if they won't stay.
Step 6: Lay the chicken seam side down on a greased pan. I just put mine onto some tinfoil on top of the pan and it worked great. You can bake as-is, or sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar on top for some sweetness.
- Bake at 400° for about 45 minutes, turning it over about halfway through.
- Then turn the oven up to 500° or broil (watch closely!!) to brown the bacon and make it crispy. *You can turn the chicken over again to make sure all the bacon is cooked.
This is also great without the bacon. Just cook for 35-45 minutes or until the juices run clear.
*If you cut open the chicken after all of this and the bacon still isn't cooked all the way through, you can put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so and it will be perfect!
