Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

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If you’re looking for a simple and easily adjustable dinner for weeknights or special occasions, this bacon-wrapped cream cheese stuffed chicken recipe is guaranteed to fit any occasion.

Between the tender chicken, the crispy bacon, and the tart cream cheese, this four-ingredient recipe makes for a delicious meal on its own or the perfect canvas to add your own flavor and fiar.

What’s in bacon-wrapped chicken?

This recipe aims to keep things simple and delicious while also being easy to customize to your tastes. So to create the recipe as written, you’ll only need:

• Bacon – Can use any type you like, from classic to honey to spicy.
• Cream cheese – Used for the base of the filling. This is where you can really get creative with flavors and spices – or even different flavors of cream cheese – should you choose.
• Chives – Adds some texture and flavor, making sure that the original recipe is delicious on its own.
• Chicken – The star of the show! Boneless and skinless chicken breast is recommended, but you can also use similar cuts of chicken (such as thighs).

How can you tell when chicken is fully cooked?

While all recipes have a recommended cooking time, your unique ingredients or cooking devices may vary, so it’s always handy to know how to tell when your chicken dish has finished cooking.

1. For best results, use a meat thermometer. Chicken is done when the internal temperature is 165°F.
2. Poke the chicken with a sharp utensil. If it’s done, the juices should run clear. If the juices are pink or red, it needs to be cooked more.
3. In ideal circumstances, cooked chicken should be pale and opaque. And while this is a helpful visual guide, it is not a hard rule. Even fully cooked chicken could have a pink tint. Other ingredients in the dish (such as the bacon in this recipe, which has nitrates, known for giving a red hue) can change the color of the meat and make it hard to do a visual test. So whenever in doubt, always use the first two rules (temperature and juice color) to help confirm your chicken is done and avoid the temptation to overcook.

Can you use chicken thighs instead?

Yes, you totally can! As long as they’re boneless and skinless, you can substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts in this recipe.

What fillings can you add?

When mixing the cream cheese, feel free to experiment! Kick up the flavor and make it uniquely yours by adding things like:

• More chopped herbs, like basil, oregano, parsley, sage, dill, or thyme.
• Fresh or dried garlic.
• Other veggies, like spinach, chopped peppers or chiles, etc.
• Mix in some shredded cheese, any type you’d like.

Can you make this dish in advance?

Certainly!

When making the recipe, prepare the bacon-wrapped chicken up to the point of placing them in the baking dish. From there, you can cover the dish and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.

When ready to eat, let the chicken rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes, then bake the chicken per the recipe instructions.

How long is bacon-wrapped chicken good for?

Once prepared and cooled, this dish can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three to five days.

Can you freeze bacon-wrapped chicken?

Bad news here, guys. Due to the cream cheese in this recipe, I can’t recommend freezing this dish. The cream cheese will get a grainy texture

Notes & tips for this baked bacon-wrapped chicken

• In the recipe instructions, it says to use a meat tenderizer to flatten the chicken breast, but you could use any utensil that’s sturdy & heavy but isn’t breakable. For example, the recipe video in this post uses a standard rolling pin.
• And speaking of flattening the chicken breast, make sure the surface you do this on isn’t breakable, such as a tile countertop. If you’re unsure about your surface, place a wood cutting board on top to help absorb some of the impact.

More great chicken recipes

How to make bacon-wrapped chicken

Step 1 – Cook the bacon so that it starts to curl and turn red but is still a little on the soft side. The goal is to get the benefits of frying while keeping the bacon flimsy enough that you can work with it. Don’t worry about it being undercooked – this dish will be cooked in the oven, so it will finish cooking that way. Once the bacon is ready, set the strips on a paper towel-lined plate until ready to use.

Step 2 – Place chicken breast in a bag, then use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten the chicken until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Like the bacon, set the chicken aside for now.

Step 3 – In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and chives. Give it a few stirs to mix everything together.

Step 4 – Move the prepared chicken breasts to your workspace. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top, then roll the chicken up, starting with the smallest end first.

Step 5 – Once the chicken is rolled, lay three slices of bacon on top. Wrap the bacon around the chicken, tucking the ends of the bacon underneath.

Step 6 – Transfer the prepared bacon-wrapped chicken to a 9×13 baking dish.

Step 7 – Bake!

Step 6 – Serve end enjoy!

Recipe Details

Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4.12 from 198 votes

Author: Chrisy Toombs

Time: 15 minutes mins prep + 35 minutes mins cook

Servings: 4 servings

A base recipe for tender chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese and chives wrapped tightly within crispy bacon. Make it as written or add more flavors!

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• 12 slices bacon, any type
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives, plus more for garnish
• 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins to curl and turn red; bacon should be partially cooked but still flimsy. Place bacon on a paper towel lined plate while preparing other ingredients.
  12 slices bacon
• In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and chives. Set aside.
  8 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, flatten chicken breasts until they're about 1/4 inch thick.
  2 pounds chicken breasts
• Spoon a portion of the cream cheese mix and spread it in the center of the chicken breast, keeping at least a 1/2 inch gap from the edges clear.
• Starting with the smallest end, roll up the chicken breast. With the seam side of the chicken facing up, wrap pieces of bacon around it so that the ends of the bacon are tucked beneath the chicken. Wrapping this way should secure the bacon and keep the chicken wrapped. If needed, use toothpicks to help keep the chicken wrap together. Place wrapped chicken in prepared baking dish.
• Bake bacon-wrapped chicken for 30 minutes. If you'd like the bacon crispy, turn oven to broil and bake for another 1-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately with more fresh chopped chives sprinkled on top (optional).
  1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives

Video

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg