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Home / How to Make Chicken Bacon and Cheese Melt

How to Make Chicken Bacon and Cheese Melt

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This BBQ Baked Chicken Breast is an easy recipe for busy weeknights. Chicken breasts are layered with your favorite BBQ sauce then topped with crispy bacon and melted cheddar cheese for the perfect comfort food dinner. And it's ready in about 30 minutes!

Closeup of bbq chicken on white plate with corn and baked beans.

Fall is just around the corner and, for most of us, the pace of life has picked up. This calls for dinners that are quick, easy, and delicious. Dinners like Taco Pasta Skillet, Chicken Ravioli Lasagna, Meatball Casserole, and this Baked BBQ Chicken Breast recipe tops the list.

Chicken on serving platter on wooden table.

I mean, what could be wrong with a chicken dish that has bacon on it? You know the saying, everything is better with bacon, and this recipe is no exception. The bacon and cheese definitely make the dish.

But we can't forget the sweet barbecue sauce! It becomes a thick, caramelized glaze covering the juicy chicken and makes a statement all its own. It definitely puts this dinner into the finger-lickin' good column!

Table of contents

  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • Baked Chicken Breast Temperatures and Time
  • How to Make BBQ Chicken Breast in the Oven
  • What to Serve with BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

  • Chicken Breasts - should all be of equal size. Try for a medium-sized breast as the larger breasts will take longer to cook.
  • BBQ Sauce - Any BBQ sauce will work here from your own homemade version to Bulls-eye Original BBQ Sauce to Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce. My favorite is Weber Sweet & Thick Original BBQ Sauce that contains no high fructose corn syrup and no extra additives.
  • Bacon - adds a crisp, smoky, salty texture to the dish. You can also use cooked turkey bacon, a slice of deli ham or even proscuitto.
  • Cheddar Cheese - is my all-time favorite but almost any type of cheese can be used. Substitute Pepper Jack for a little spicier result, smoked gouda for more barbecue flavor or even mozzarella for that all important cheese pull.

Variations

Chicken Thighs - are always a bit moister than chicken breasts. When making this dish with thighs, bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes.

Chicken Tenders - are smaller and thinner so they will cook much quicker than a breast. I like to cook the tenders covered with foil at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

Caramelized Onions - After baking, top with caramelized onions then add bacon and cheese.

Bite of chicken on fork over plate.

Baked Chicken Breast Temperatures and Time

This chicken turns out super moist and tender and, although I baked mine at 350 degrees, it can also be baked at higher temperatures for a quicker turnaround time. The standard rule is the less baking time at higher temperatures results in a moister and juicier chicken breast.

  • 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes
  • 400 degrees for 25 minutes
  • 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes
  • 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes

Note: Check on the chicken cooked at higher temperatures halfway through cooking time to make sure the BBQ sauce has not dried up. In addition, be sure to turn the heat down to 350 degrees after adding the cheese and bacon to give the cheese time to melt properly.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Breast in the Oven

BBQ Baked Chicken Breast ingredients on white table.

Just 4 ingredients, chicken breasts, cooked bacon, BBQ sauce, and cheddar cheese, plus a little salt and pepper is all it takes to put this delicious dinner together.

Chicken breasts in baking dish with salt and pepper seasoning.
  1. Place chicken breasts in lightly sprayed baking dish. Make sure they don't overlap so they cook evenly. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Pouring BBQ sauce over chicken..
  1. Pour BBQ sauce over chicken and bake. Chicken is done when the internal temperature measures 165 degrees.
Place cooked bacon on top of each chicken breast.
  1. Remove chicken from oven and top each breast with a strip of bacon.
cover entire top with cheddar cheese.
  1. Sprinkle with cheese over the top of the chicken and bacon and return to oven.
Baked boneless BBQ chicken on white table with red checkered towel.
  1. Bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Lifting baked chicken breast out of baking dish.

This boneless BBQ chicken meal makes a great weeknight dinner and can be on the table in about 30 minutes with little cleanup. It's easy to make, with just a few prep steps, then pop it in the oven and relax.

I serve my cheesy bacon BBQ chicken with baked beans, french fries, and corn on the cob. Believe me, this dinner is sooo good, it will be your new go-to family favorite. Enjoy!

What to Serve with BBQ Chicken

Roasted Corn Salad - is a quick & easy Mexican-inspired side dish made with fresh grilled corn & a rainbow of vegetables topped with lime dressing. A perfect accompaniment to barbecues.

Creamy Coleslaw from What A Girl Eats - This creamy coleslaw in a honey poppyseed dressing is the perfect side to any barbecue meal.

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins - are moist and delicious and deliver a little spice to your dinner plate.

Find more easy side dishes here on 2CM!

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Lifting baked chicken breast out of baking dish.

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce
  • 4 slices bacon cooked (if the slices are small can use 8)
  • 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese shredded

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a rectangular baking dish with a non-stick spray.

  • Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay in single layer in prepared baking dish.

  • Pour BBQ sauce over chicken.

  • Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees.

  • Remove from oven. Top each chicken breast with a slice of bacon and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

  • Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Variations

Chicken Thighs - are always a bit moister than chicken breasts. When making this dish with thighs, bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes.

Chicken Tenders - are smaller and thinner so they will cook much quicker than a breast. I like to cook the tenders covered with foil at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

Caramelized Onions - After baking, top with caramelized onions then add bacon and cheese.

Calories: 705 kcal | Carbohydrates: 45 g | Protein: 62 g | Fat: 29 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 204 mg | Sodium: 1772 mg | Potassium: 1170 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 36 g | Vitamin A: 741 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 353 mg | Iron: 2 mg

This post has been updated with more tips and better instructions. The post was first published on November 5, 2014.

BBQ Baked Chicken Breast

How to Make Chicken Bacon and Cheese Melt

Source: https://2cookinmamas.com/bbq-chicken-bacon-bake/