Bacon-wrapped cream cheese stuffed chicken is juicy chicken breast rolled around a warm, creamy chive filling and wrapped in salty, smoky bacon. It looks like a company dinner, but it takes four ingredients and fits a weeknight.
How to make bacon-wrapped cream cheese stuffed chicken: Flatten chicken breasts, spread them with cream cheese and chives, roll them up and wrap each in partially cooked bacon. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until the chicken and the filling both reach 165°F, then broil 1 to 3 minutes if you want crisper bacon.
Why You’ll Love It
- Four ingredients. Chicken, bacon, cream cheese and chives.
- Dinner in 50 minutes. Fifteen minutes of prep, then the oven takes over.
- Crisp outside, creamy inside. The bacon browns while the cream cheese turns soft and spoonable.
- One baking dish. The rolls bake side by side in a 9×13.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts. Use boneless, skinless breasts, about 2 pounds. They get pounded thin before rolling.
Bacon. Any type works. You need 12 slices, and they are cooked partway before wrapping.
Cream cheese. Soften a full 8-ounce block so it spreads easily.
Chives. One tablespoon of fresh chopped chives goes into the filling. Chop a little extra if you want a garnish.
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon, any type
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish if you like
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Partially cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to curl and turn red but is still flexible. Transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate.
3. Mix the filling. Mix the softened cream cheese and chopped chives in a small bowl.
4. Flatten and fill the chicken. Put the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and flatten them with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a portion of the filling in the center of each breast, leaving at least 1/2 inch clear around the edges.
5. Roll and wrap. Starting at the smallest end, roll up each breast. With the chicken seam facing up, wrap bacon around it and tuck the bacon ends beneath the chicken. Use toothpicks if needed to hold the rolls together. Place them in the prepared dish.
6. Bake and check. Bake for 30 minutes. Check the center of the chicken and the stuffing with a food thermometer, and keep cooking if needed until both reach 165°F.
7. Crisp the bacon if desired. For crisper bacon, broil for another 1 to 3 minutes. Check that the chicken and stuffing have reached 165°F before serving. Garnish with additional chopped chives if you like.
How to Get Crisp Bacon and Fully Cooked Chicken
The bacon gets a head start. Cook it partway in a skillet first, and pull it when it starts to curl and turn red but still bends easily. It has to stay flexible, or you will not be able to wrap it around the chicken.
Tuck both ends of each slice under the roll, and use a toothpick for any that spring loose.
| Step | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Skillet | Bacon curling and red, still flexible |
| Wrap | Bacon ends tucked under the roll |
| Bake | 30 minutes at 375°F |
| Thermometer | 165°F in the chicken and in the filling |
| Broil (optional) | 1 to 3 more minutes for crisper bacon |
Brown bacon does not mean the chicken is done. Push the thermometer into the center of the thickest roll so the tip sits in the meat, then check the filling too. The bake time is a guide, and thicker breasts take longer.
Tips for Success
How do I keep the filling inside?
Spread the cream cheese in the center only and keep at least 1/2 inch of bare chicken all the way around. Then roll from the smallest end.
How thin should the chicken be?
About 1/4 inch all over. Flatten the breasts inside a zip-top bag with a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer, which keeps the mess off your counter.
How do I keep the bacon from unwrapping?
Wrap with the seam of the chicken facing up, then tuck the bacon ends beneath the roll or pin them with a toothpick.
Variations
- Green onion. Use chopped green onion in the cream cheese in place of chives.
- Barbecue ranch. Flavor the rolls with ranch seasoning and brush them with barbecue sauce.
- Honey and mozzarella. Add mozzarella to the filling and finish the bacon with a honey glaze.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in covered, shallow containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter. Reheat until a food thermometer reads 165°F.
What to Serve With It
If your family likes chicken with cream cheese, put baked cream cheese chicken and broccoli cheddar stuffed chicken breasts on the list next. For hands-off nights, try slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken or the 3-ingredient slow cooker cream cheese chicken. More chicken and bacon dinners: chicken bacon ranch casserole with potatoes and chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese with bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do stuffed chicken breasts take to cook in the oven?
These bake for 30 minutes at 375°F, plus 1 to 3 minutes under the broiler if you want crisper bacon. Go by the thermometer, not the clock.
Do I need toothpicks?
Only if a roll will not stay closed. Tucking the bacon ends under the chicken is usually enough. Take any toothpicks out before serving.
What size dish should I use?
A 9×13-inch baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray. The recipe makes 4 servings.
Final Notes
I cook the bacon before I touch the raw chicken, so it is cool enough to handle by the time the rolls are filled. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
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Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon any type; partially cooked until it begins to curl and turn red but remains flexible
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon chives fresh, chopped; more for garnish is optional
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to curl and turn red, but is still flexible. Transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Mix the softened cream cheese and chopped chives in a small bowl.
- Put the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and flatten them with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a portion of the filling in the center of each breast, leaving at least 1/2 inch clear around the edges.
- Starting at the smallest end, roll up each breast. With the chicken seam facing up, wrap bacon around it and tuck the bacon ends beneath the chicken. Use toothpicks if needed to hold the rolls together. Place them in the prepared dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Check the center of the chicken and stuffing with a food thermometer; continue cooking if needed until both reach 165°F.
- For crisper bacon, broil for another 1 to 3 minutes. Check that the chicken and stuffing have reached 165°F before serving. Garnish with additional chopped chives if desired.
