Amazing, easy bacon wrapped chicken breast that’ll make you lick your plate. Chicken breast stuffed with pesto and mozzarella cheese, wrapped in bacon, seared, and baked. This chicken dish is packed with lots of wonderful flavors.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
I hope your holidays have gone very well and you’re ready to take on the new year. As my first recipe of the year, I chose to share this awesometastic chicken dinner. This chicken dish was what I served for our Christmas dinner and I through it would be appropriate to share it now. It went over quite well with everyone, but what’s not to like here? Chicken…check. Bacon…check. Homemade pesto…check. Lots of gooey cheese…check!
For our holiday dinner, I served it with broccoli/cauliflower casserole, mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, salad and rolls. That may be a little too much for a regular dinner menu but if you’re feeling ambitious, go for it. When I make this chicken any other day, other than a holiday, I serve it with a side salad, asparagus or other roasted green vegetables, and treat it as a light and healthy dinner. Bacon is the only indulgence here and it’s so worth it.
DON’T MISS THE QUICK DEMO VIDEO!
Bacon Wrapped, Mozzarella and Pesto Stuffed
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese block
- About 1/4 cup basil pesto
- Salt
- 8 slices of raw bacon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 and preheat a cast iron skillet (or a cooking pan that is oven safe) on stove-top, over medium-high heat. Make sure that your skillet is well seasoned and lightly greased. (If using an oven-safe cooking pan, you'll want to use a couple of tablespoons of oil to grease the pan.)
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Lay the chicken breast flat on the cutting board. Carefully, slide the knife (hold it sideways with blade facing away from you) at the top (larger part) of the chicken breast in the center and cut a pocket in the middle. DO NOT slice all the way through the bottom or the sides of the chicken breast. Your ultimate goal is to create a pocket inside the breast with opening at the top. Repeat with all four breasts.
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Using you hands, add about a tablespoon of pesto inside each chicken breast pocket.
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Slice the cheese into thin slices and stuff the chicken with 3-4 slices each. Make sure the cheese is even throughout the chicken pocket.
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Salt each stuffed chicken breast.
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Wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon, tucking the ends under one of the bacon rings.
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Carefully place each chicken breast in the hot skillet. Sear chicken for about 3 minutes on each side. Your goal is to sear the bacon, not to cook the chicken all the way.
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(Carefully pour off most of the bacon grease.)
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Transfer the skillet into pre-heated oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
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(Judge cooking time according to the size of the biggest thicken breast.)
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to share this recipe, please simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.
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More Delicious Recipes From Me:
Sun Dried Tomato Feta Stuffed Chicken
Asiago Spinach and Mushroom Chicken Rollatini
Apple Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Chicken
Elio says
Mouthwatering recipe!!.I will try to prepare it tonight. Thanks Lyuba for this post 🙂
lyuba says
Thank you so much!
Liz says
As usual, another great recipe. Thank you and have a wonderful week.
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Liz! Have a nice week 🙂
Amy says
I love these stuffed chicken breasts. easy to make and flavorful.
lyuba says
Oh yes, I hope you’ll try them! Thank you, Amy!
Donna says
Do you think it could be made in larger batches and cooked in the oven?
lyuba says
Hi Donna! I’m SO sorry I missed your question.
Yes, you can definitely make it in a larger batch and you can use a bigger, over-safe pan. This is made in the oven mostly, it’s just nice to get a good sear on the outside first, on stove-top, and then transfer it into the oven.
I hope you enjoy it 🙂
LMD says
Is it poss to be able to share your video somehow? And save it too?
Ana Dill says
I am planning on making this for guests this week. What would you suggest would be a good side dish?
lyuba says
Hi Ana!
Since this is quite a rich dish, I would recommend some green veggies. Something like roasted green beans, asparagus, and/or carrots. If you want something more comforting, serve some mashed potatoes with it. Personally, I think crispy, green veggies will be nicely balanced with it 🙂