Description
Crack Chicken is a flavorful and creamy chicken recipe featuring tender chicken breasts topped with a rich ranch cream cheese mixture, crispy bacon, and melted cheddar cheese. Baked to perfection, this dish is a comforting and easy meal perfect for any weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Bacon
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
For the Chicken
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 pound total), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
For the Ranch Cream Cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (white or yellow, or a mix)
For Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Sliced green scallions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside to prepare for the chicken.
- Cook Bacon: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet for later use.
- Sear Chicken: Add the vegetable oil to the skillet with the bacon fat and heat. Season the pounded chicken breasts on both sides with salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Carefully add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet (work in batches if needed) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
- Flip and Finish Searing: Flip the chicken breasts over, add the butter to the skillet, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is browned on both sides. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and arrange them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare Ranch Cream Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the softened cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill weed, and dried chives. Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary.
- Assemble Chicken: Spread about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the surface of each chicken breast in the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cooked diced bacon over the cream cheese layer on the chicken breasts. Then, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over all the chicken breasts.
- Bake: Place the baking dish uncovered into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the cheese is melted and slightly browned on top.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven, garnish with the remaining crispy bacon pieces, chopped fresh parsley, and sliced green scallions. Serve immediately and enjoy your Crack Chicken.
Notes
- For best results, pound the chicken breasts evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- You can adjust the seasoning in the cream cheese mixture to your taste. Adding a bit more dill or chives enhances the ranch flavor.
- Use a mixture of white and yellow cheddar cheese for balanced sharpness.
- This dish pairs well with a simple green salad, steamed vegetables, or rice.
