Baked Chicken With Bacon and Pepper Jack Cheese

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 11/26/21
Chicken with bacon and pepper jack cheese on plate
Diana Rattray
Prep: 8 mins
Cook: 17 mins
Bacon: 15 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Boneless chicken breasts are browned then baked with a topping of your favorite barbecue sauce, bacon, and pepper jack cheese.

This is a delicious and simple recipe, and it's sure to please. Serve this chicken with rice and a tossed green salad or with potato salad and baked beans.

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Ingredients

  • 4 strips bacon

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/2 clove garlic

  • 4 tablespoons thick barbecue sauce

  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Chili powder, to taste

  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Grease a baking dish and set aside. Heat the oven to 375 F.

  3. Fry or bake the bacon until almost crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Cook the bacon the day before and refrigerate for even quicker prep time.

  4. Pat the chicken dry. Put a chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to a uniform thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast halves. Dredge in the flour to coat thoroughly.

  5. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the garlic half, stirring around in the butter mixture. Remove the garlic and discard after about 30 seconds.

  6. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned cooked through. It should register 165 F on an instant-read thermometer.

  7. Arrange the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Spread about 1 tablespoon of thick barbecue sauce over each chicken breast half. Top with a slice or two of bacon. Cut bacon slices in half to cover the chicken. Top the bacon with a slice of pepper jack cheese.

  8. Bake the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes, until cheese is melted.

  9. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving, if desired.

  10. Serve and enjoy.

Tip

If you are going to bake the bacon in Step 2 (instead of frying), line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with foil. Then place a cooling or broiling rack in the pan. Arrange bacon slices on the rack. Bake at 375 F for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the bacon is as crisp as you like.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
474 Calories
23g Fat
14g Carbs
49g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 474
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 146mg 49%
Sodium 817mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 242mg 19%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 465mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)