BBQ bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with cheese uses only four ingredients to make the most amazing sticky, sweet, and savory chicken dinner idea. Oven baked breasts are stuffed with oozing melted cheddar cheese, wrapped in crispy bacon, smothered in BBQ sauce for an easy meal time win.
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Chicken, Bacon and Cheese – What’s Not To Love?
When it comes to recipes that only use a few ingredients, I can be a skeptic. How can something that simple taste good??
However, chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with creamy melted cheese relies on the perfect flavor combinations. Believe me, it’s the absolute rockstar of easy chicken dinner ideas.
A lot of bacon wrapped chicken recipes fall short because baking bacon and chicken properly requires two different oven temperatures and cooking times.
Therefore, simply wrapping bacon around the meat, throwing it in the oven, and hoping for the best is bound to yield some disappointing results. Either the chicken will be dry and overcooked or bacon will be limp and unappealing.
This recipe fixes that issue by partially cooking the bacon first, before wrapping it around the cheese stuffed chicken. When finished, the chicken comes out of the oven perfectly moist with crispy bacon wrapped around it. Serve it with a side of golden roasted zucchini and crispy potatoes for the ultimate meal!
It’s a big hit in my home! I use this to meal prep my meals for work! My parents LOVE it! Especially my dad! If I could give you 10 stars, I would.
—Anonymous
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Secret for crispy bacon – pre bake!
To start lay the bacon strips on a baking sheet. I like to line mine in foil for easy clean up. Partially bake at 400ºF, then remove and lower temperature to 375ºF, which is better for baking the chicken.
Chicken breast prep
While the bacon is getting it’s pre-crisp on, butterfly the breasts. This gives us a pocket to stuff the cheese in. Make a deep slit in the middle of the breast, lengthwise. Cut all the way across until you almost reach other side, so it will open like a book.
Stuff with cheesy goodness and bake
Now let’s add the other essential players – cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on one side of the chicken, fold the other half on top, and wrap two bacon strips over the top, tucking underneath.
Brush on BBQ sauce and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Dinner is served!
Extra Yummy Tips and Ideas
- If you prefer extra crispy bacon, increase the pre-baking time to 11-12 minutes. Just make sure bacon is still flexible enough to wrap around chicken. Also the chicken can be broiled for a couple minutes at the end, but watch very carefully. BBQ sauce can burn quickly because of the sugar.
- I like sharp cheddar cheese, but any kind will work, such as mozzarella, pepper jack, Colby jack, havarti, garlic chive cream cheese mixture, plain cream cheese, Swiss, or a combination.
- Add some spice by adding diced jalapeños with the cheese.
- Baste chicken with more BBQ sauce halfway through baking to layer on more flavor.
- For meal prep, partially cook the bacon and then assemble the chicken stuffed with cheese. When ready to eat, simply pop the prepared breasts in the oven to finish baking.
- Looking for serving ideas? Try rice, crispy grit cakes (a must try!), roasted veggies, or our family-favorite corn casserole.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Extra Easy Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices (8 slices) bacon, not thick cut
- 4 (4) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (see recipe instructions)
- 2 cups (226 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup (214.5 g) BBQ sauce
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay 8 slices of bacon on the prepared pan. Bake the bacon 10-12 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon at the end. Remove the partially cooked bacon from oven and set aside.8 slices bacon
- Turn down oven to 375ºF. Butterfly the chicken breasts by starting at the thicker end and cutting through the middle, being careful to not cut all the way through. The chicken will be able to open like a book, or butterfly, with 2 thinner sides. Place ½ cup cheese on one side of the chicken and then fold the top over it. Season the top of closed chicken with salt and pepper.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Move the bacon to one side of the baking sheet. Transfer the stuffed chicken breasts to baking sheet. Lay the pieces of bacon over the top of each chicken breast, wrapping bacon around and tucking ends underneath. Brush on half the BBQ sauce all over top and sides.¾ cup BBQ sauce
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and baste with more BBQ sauce. Bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF. To make bacon crispier broil 1-2 minutes. the because BBQ sauce can burn quick!
Notes
Making bacon extra crispy
If you prefer extra crispy bacon, increase the pre-baking time to 11-12 minutes. Just make sure bacon is still flexible enough to wrap around chicken. Also the chicken can be broiled for a couple minutes at the end, but watch very carefully. BBQ sauce can burn quickly because of the sugar.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
It’s a big hit in my home! I use this to meal prep my meals for work! My parents LOVE it! Especially my dad! If I could give you 10 stars, I would <3
That is so kind! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how much you and your family enjoy this recipe. 🤗
Best,
Melissa
Could you use smoked Gouda cheese?
Hi Angie,
Oh my gosh do I LOVE smoked gouda cheese. You can definitely use it, but it doesn’t quite melt the same. It would still be delicious though!
Best,
Melissa
Made this last week, was a big hit and SO easy! Delicious!!! Cant wait to try the cilantro lime chicken you recently posted!!! Thank you!!!
You are so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it and I fully agree – SO EASY! Thanks for writing 🤗
Best,
Melissa
Wow! it looks so delicious! I’ll make it this weekend.
Thank you so much! We are having it again this weekend for dinner. The kids love this dinner!