🍗🍗🍗 Baked Crack Chicken Breasts

I found that the recipes in most - in all - the books I had were really not adequate. They didn't tell you enough... I won't do anything unless I'm told why I'm doing it. So I felt that we needed fuller explanations so that if you followed one of those recipes, it should turn out exactly right. -
I love to cook when I have the time. I don't cook French or Mexican food with exact recipes. I just go to the supermarket and buy things that look good, and I mix it all together and invent something. Ninety-five percent of the time, I'm lucky. Sometimes not so lucky, and I say, 'Let's go out to dinner

Baked Crack Chicken Breasts

Crack Chicken is a deliciously creamy combination of chicken, bacon, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning. This family-friendly, make-ahead meal is a great weeknight dinner, but also perfect for a weekend crowd.

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 1/4-inch thickness
• salt and fresh ground 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 - I use a little of both

FOR GARNISH

• chopped fresh parsley
• sliced green scallions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
3. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in diced bacon; cook until crispy.
4. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. DON'T discard bacon fat.
5. Return skillet to heat and add vegetable oil to the remaining bacon fat.
6. Pound chicken breasts to a 1/4-inch thickness and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
7. Add chicken breasts to the hot oil - you may have to do this in batches if skillet isn't big enough - and cook chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Flip over the chicken breasts, add butter, and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.
9. Remove chicken breasts from skillet and arrange in previously prepared baking dish. Set aside.
10. 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. *You can also just stir in 1 tablespoon of store-bought ranch seasoning.
11. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Spread to coat the surface of each chicken breast.
12. Take half of the bacon and add on top of the cream cheese.
13. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the chicken breasts.
14. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and lightly browned.
15. Remove from oven.
16. Garnish with remaining bacon, fresh parsley, and scallions.
17. Serve.

Recipe Notes

WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 13

REDUCE your FREESTYLE POINTS DOWN TO 8-points by using low fat cheddar and light cream cheese.

HOW TO FREEZE CRACK CHICKEN

• Transfer cooled crack chicken to a large freezer bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• When ready to serve, remove from freezer the night before and let thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat and serve.

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