Crack Chicken Recipe
This crack chicken recipe is low-carb AND keto-friendly, made with juicy chicken breasts loaded with an addictive mix of melty cheese, ranch seasoning, and crispy bacon.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon diced
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 (1-pound, total) boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to ¼-inch thickness
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
FOR THE RANCH CREAM CHEESE
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese white or yellow - I use a little of both
FOR GARNISH
- chopped fresh parsley
- sliced green scallions
Instructions
- Prepare to bake. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook the bacon. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the diced bacon; cook until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside. Don't discard the bacon fat.
- Add oil. Return the skillet to the heat and add vegetable oil to the remaining bacon fat.
- Season the chicken. Pound chicken breasts to a ¼-inch to ½-inch thickness and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Sear the chicken. Add chicken breasts to the hot oil. You may have to do this in batches if the skillet isn't big enough. Cook chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip over the chicken breasts, add butter, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes or until browned.
- Fill the baking dish. Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and arrange them in the previously prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Make the crack mixture. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, and chives; mix until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. See notes.
- Assemble. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Spread to coat the surface of each chicken breast. Take half of the diced bacon and add it on top of the cream cheese over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the chicken breasts.
- Bake. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Garnish with remaining bacon, fresh parsley, and scallions, and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute the garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, and chives with 1 Tablespoon of store-bought ranch seasoning mix.
- Keep leftovers tightly covered and store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 5ounces | Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1347IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 1mg
