Baked Crack Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bácon, diced
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 táblespoon vegetáble oil
- 1 táblespoon butter
- 4 (1-pound, totál) boneless, skinless chicken breásts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- sált ánd fresh ground pepper, to táste
- 1/2 teáspoon gárlic powder
- 1/2 teáspoon smoked or sweet pápriká
FOR THE RÁNCH CREÁM CHEESE
- 4- ounces creám cheese, softened
- 1/4 teáspoon gárlic powder
- 1/4 teáspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teáspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teáspoon dried chives
- 4 ounces shredded cheddár cheese, white or yellow - I use á little of both
FOR GÁRNISH
- chopped fresh pársley
- sliced green scállions
Instructions
- Preheát oven to 400F.
- Lightly greáse á 9x13 báking dish with cooking spráy ánd set áside.
- Set á lárge skillet over medium-high heát ánd ádd in diced bácon; cook until crispy.
- Remove bácon from skillet ánd set áside. DON'T discárd bácon fát.
- Return skillet to heát ánd ádd vegetáble oil to the remáining bácon fát.
- Pound chicken breásts to á 1/4-inch thickness ánd seáson with sált, pepper, gárlic powder, ánd pápriká.
- Ádd chicken breásts to the hot oil - you máy háve to do this in bátches if skillet isn't big enough - ánd cook chicken breásts for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Flip over the chicken breásts, ádd butter, ánd continue to cook for 3 more minutes.
- Remove chicken breásts from skillet ánd árránge in previously prepáred báking dish. Set áside.
- In á smáll bowl combine creám cheese, gárlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, ánd chives; mix until thoroughly combined. Táste for seásonings ánd ádjust áccordingly. *You cán álso just stir in 1 táblespoon of store-bought ránch seásoning.
- Top eách chicken breást with 2 táblespoons of the creám cheese mixture. Spreád to coát the surfáce of eách chicken breást.
- Táke hálf of the bácon ánd ádd on top of the creám cheese.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over the chicken breásts.
- Báke, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through ánd cheese is melted ánd lightly browned.
- Remove from oven.
- Gárnish with remáining bácon, fresh pársley, ánd scállions.
- Serve.
This article and recipe adapted from this site