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This, my friends, is not just another boring chicken recipe! These bacon wrapped stuffed chicken breasts bake up moist, juicy and cheesy. Best of all is that smoky bacon wrapped around each chicken breast! It is crisp, sweet, salty and makes an unbelievably delicious spooning sauce.
Bacon is so irresistible! And not just as a breakfast item. It will add a magical flavor to sweet and savory dishes alike. Have you ever tasted bacon and onion jam? It’s delicious! How about crisp bacon crumbles on your ice cream Sunday? Yep, bacon is a magical flavor!
Our Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts are Stuffed With Italian Flavors:
Chicken is like a blank canvas and will assume any flavors, transforming a dish into a work of art. We are using Italian flavors as our stuffing and the blanket of bacon keeps the chicken breast moist, tender and flavorful.
We stuffed each chicken breast with Provolone cheese, fresh basil leaves and sun dried tomatoes. A bit of fresh grated garlic really ramps up the flavor.
If you have never stuffed a chicken breast and wrapped it in a blanket of bacon we are going to tell you how easy it is. We chose those big, colossal chicken breast so we could get a lot of cheese, basil leaves and sun dried tomatoes stuffed into them. Another reason to use those huge Dolly Parton chicken breasts was because small ones just could not be found.
With each chicken breast, we sliced a deep pocket in the thick side, about an inch from each end but not so deep as to go all the way through. Then we sprinkled the inside of the pockets with a mix of salt and pepper, grated garlic and chopped oregano.
Strips of Provolone were placed inside each pocket. And, Oh boy! When it is hot it gets all melty and gooey and delicious, so pack in as much as you can. Next, we added fresh basil leaves and lots of sun-dried tomatoes. We used the oil-packed tomatoes but drained them really well first to remove as much oil as possible.
The Bacon Wrapping:
This is the only part of this recipe that gets a little tricky. The idea is to wrap the chicken breast completely with the bacon. Whatever technique you use is acceptable and if you need a few toothpicks to hold it together, go for it! Use kitchen scissors to snip off any of the excess bacon slices. Each huge chicken breast may take two or three strips of bacon to wrap it completely.
Place the wrapped chicken breasts on a baking sheet, brush them with warm honey and bake them crisp and toasty.
Baking Times For The Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
Baking time and temperature will vary according to the size of the chicken breasts. Also, any time under the broiler should be considered as part of the required baking time and not ‘extra’ time which may result in dry over-baked chicken.
To bake large, 12-ounce or more, chicken breasts bake at a hot temperature, 400°F for just 20-25 minutes check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).
Our large stuffed chicken breasts are actually a two-serving size. They baked in a hot 400°F oven for 22 minutes then we crisped them under the broiler for another three or four minutes. A small chicken breast will need time and temperature adjustments. Internal temperature for large or small should reach 165°F.
If you are using small 4-6 ounce chicken breasts bake at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C). To crisp up the bacon, broil for 3 or 4 minutes, after they have baked for 25 minutes.
The juices from the chicken and the drippings from the bacon make the most incredibly flavorful sauce to spoon over the bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken breasts.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Chicken is always a great choice for family dinners and it doesn’t have to be boring. We gave everything from lean grilled chicken breast to comfort food like our chicken dumpling soup.
- chicken thighs with white wine sauce
- baked BBQ chicken legs
- roasted chicken with vegetables
- honey baked chicken thighs
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Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken
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Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (12 oz each)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices Provolone cheese
- 4 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, drained and blotted of oil
- 2 oz fresh basil leaves
- 12 slices thin-cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons warm honey
For the Sauce:
- 3/4 cup chicken broth or white wine, to deglaze the pan
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°
- Cut a long pocket in the thick side of each chicken breast, be careful and do not cut all the way though.
- In a small dish, combine the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper together and sprinkle inside each pocket
- Cut the slices of Provolone into strips and layer inside each pocket with a tablespoon, or more, of sun dried tomatoes and basil leaves.
- Wrap two or three bacon slices around each chicken breast to cover the chicken completely. If necessary, keep in place with toothpicks. Place the bacon wrapped, stuffed chicken breast on a rimmed sheet pan and brush the bacon with the warmed honey.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size. (See Notes for baking times).
- Baste the chicken breasts with the accumulated juices half way through the baking time.
- When there is still 5-minutes of remaining baking time and If the bacon is not crisp enough, raise the rack with the sheet pan and engage the broiler unit. Broil until desired crispness.
- Our large chicken breasts baked in a hot oven for 22 minutes then we crisped the bacon under the broiler for another three or four minutes. The internal temperature should read 165°F when cooked.
- Transfer from the oven and place on a serving platter and garnish with chopped parsley. Allow the chicken breasts to rest while preparing the sauce.
For the Sauce:
- Set the sheet pan across two stove burners and heat until the drippings get hot. Add a little of the chicken stock or white wine and loosen the stuck on bits with a spatula or spoon.
- In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add the drippings from the baking sheet and the remaining chicken stock or wine. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a dish to be spooned over the chicken breasts.
Video
Notes
- When cutting the pocket in the chicken breast, put the chicken in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up. It will be easier to slice partially frozen.
- For safety, set the chicken breast on a 2-layer pad of paper towels to keep it from sliding when cutting the pocket.
- Any good melting cheese can be substituted for Provolone. Some options are: Gouda, Asiago, Mozzarella, Gruyere, Fontina
- Cheese can also be shredded or cubed and layered into the pocket
- We use oil-packed sun dried tomatoes If using dehydrated sun dried tomatoes they must first be rehydrated.
- Wrap enough bacon strips to cover the chicken breast.
- These are large, Dolly Parton chicken breasts of 12 oz. each and may take 2 or 3 strips of bacon to cover.
- To bake large, 12-ounce chicken breasts, bake at a hot temperature, 400°F for 20-25 minutes. To crisp up the bacon: When the chicken has baked for 22 minutes raise the oven rack/sheet pan to the broil position and broil until crisp, about 3 or 4 minutes. Check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).
- If using small 4-6 ounce chicken breasts bake at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. To crisp up the bacon: When the chicken has baked for 27-minutes raise the oven rack/sheet pan to the broil position and broil until crisp, about 3 or 4 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).
- Nutritional values do not include the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi. Can this dish be made without the sun dried tomatoes?
Yes you can leave the tomatoes out or replace them with something like olives or crispy bacon.
Instead of provolone cheese can you use sharp cheddar or pepperjack cheese?
Oh, absolutely, Greg! Go for it! This is a very versatile recipe and that pepper jack cheese sounds yummy!
After making your chocolate covered strawberry
Mini cheesecake recipe I made this chicken
recipe and it came out great. The star of this dish is the
sauce. I will definitely make this dish again but
I’ll be using the sauce on lots of other dishes.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hey, Mike…thank you for this great review! Yes, I agree the bacon wrapped stuffed chicken breast is a reader favorite. It is that bacon that does it’s magic. So happy you enjoyed both the chocolate covered strawberry mini cheesecake and the chicken recipes. ?