Baked Crack Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning mix
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (white or yellow)
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
• 2 to 3 scallions, finely sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of Ranch Seasoning mix to prepare the cream cheese mixture. Set it aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside. Keep the bacon fat in the skillet for browning the chicken.
4. Return the skillet to heat and add the vegetable oil and butter to the bacon fat. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
5. Depending on the size of your skillet, add 2 to 3 chicken breasts to the hot oil. Avoid crowding them. Cook the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Flip over the chicken breasts and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and arrange them in the prepared baking dish. Top each chicken breast with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture, spreading it evenly to coat the chicken.
7. Sprinkle half of the diced bacon on top of the cream cheese mixture, followed by the shredded cheese.
8. Bake the dish, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
9. Remove the dish from the oven and garnish with the remaining bacon and sliced scallions before serving.