Applewood Smoked Bacon-Crusted Chicken

A little bit of bacon goes a long way in adding flavor and moisture to ordinary, lean chicken breasts.
chicken with bacon

The great thing about bacon is that everyone loves it and a little goes a long way to enhance a dish. You don't need to pile it on to get huge flavor. I mean, look at the calories and fat in this feast -- it proves that you can enjoy bacon without loads of extra fat or calories.

I love the way the bacon spruces up mild-flavored chicken and keeps the lean meat moist as it roasts. I wanted to create a fantastic presentation so I cut the bacon into little squares and arranged it on top of the chicken, like rooftop shingles. I used applewood-smoked bacon because I like the way the smoky apple flavor (from various apple trees) partners with the chicken and honey mustard. You can use any smoked bacon you want, including hickory or brown sugar.

Applewood Smoked Bacon Crusted Chicken
Cooking spray
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 4 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons honey mustard

2 strips applewood-smoked bacon (about 1/4-inch thick), cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of the honey mustard over the top of each chicken breast half. Arrange the bacon pieces in slightly overlapping rows on top of the chicken.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is crisp. If the bacon isn’t as crisp as you would like, place the chicken under a preheated broiler and broil for 1 minute, or until bacon is browned and crisp.

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and sprinkle the green onions over top.

Serves 4

Nutrition Info Per Serving
Calories: 183
Total Fat: 6 grams
Saturated Fat: 2 grams
Total Carbohydrate: 3 grams
Sugars: 2 grams
Protein: 28 grams
Sodium: 227 milligrams
Cholesterol: 79 milligrams
Fiber: <1 gram

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