Baked Crack Chicken Casserole – This baked chicken casserole with bacon and cream cheese is all you need on a busy weeknight in the most delicious way possible. We’re talking creamy, cheesy, chicken casserole loaded with spices, cream cheese, cheddar, and bacon! Sliced chicken breasts are seasoned then quickly seared in the pan to lock in the moisture, then baked in the oven, smothered with a rich layer of cream cheese, bacon, and cheddar. Hard to believe that the baked chicken breast casserole is also Low Carb and Keto-Friendly. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the baked crack chicken casserole recipe
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 (1-pound, total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4- ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, white or yellow
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Sliced green scallions
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the baked crack chicken casserole: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Pound chicken breasts to a 1/4-inch thickness and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
2. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in diced bacon; cook until crispy. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. Do not discard the bacon fat, we’ll use it later.
3. Return the skillet to heat and add vegetable oil to the remaining bacon fat. Add chicken breasts to the hot oil – you may have to do this in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough – and cook chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip over the chicken breasts, add butter, and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.
4. Deglaze the skillet with 1/4 cup chicken stock. Remove chicken breasts from skillet and arrange in previously prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the cooking juices and set aside.
5. In a small bowl combine cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning; mix until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
6. Top each browned chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Spread to coat the surface of each chicken breast.
7. Top the cream cheese with half the cooker bacon; then sprinkle shredded cheese over the chicken breasts.
8. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Garnish with remaining bacon, fresh parsley, and scallions. Serve the baked crack chicken casserole immediately. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the baked crack chicken casserole recipe
- You can replace garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning with 1 tablespoon of store-bought ranch seasoning to mix with the cream cheese.
- You can use any cheese mix for the topping of the baked chicken casserole. We use cheddar, but Italian cheese blend or Mexican blend will work too!
What to serve with the crack chicken bacon casserole
Steamed broccoli, cauliflower rice, roasted, sauteed, or steamed asparagus will make perfect options to keep everything low in carbs. Otherwise, rice or pasta are classics that will have everyone ask for more.
How and how long to keep the baked chicken casserole leftovers?
You can keep the baked chicken breast leftovers for up to 2 days in your refrigerator, stored in an airtight container. Reheat covered in the oven for 12 minutes, or in the microwave. For freezing, transfer cooled chicken to a large freezer bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, remove the baked chicken breasts from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to make the baked chicken casserole in advance?
Cook bacon and chicken in the skillet, then assemble everything in the baking dish but don’t bake in the oven. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. When ready, remove the wrap and bake the crack chicken casserole as directed.
More chicken casserole recipes you might like
- Spinach Chicken Casserole with Cream Cheese and Mozzarella
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole
- Fajita Chicken Breasts Casserole
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Tish
2023-01-20 16:02:25
Very tasty but it IS more than 10 mins despite being easy. I used thin cut breasts, which ended up a little dried out. Next time I will use thicker breasts and pound them or lower the heat to 350 or 375.
Randi
2021-06-17 18:34:26
It was DELICIOUS. However, The PREP time of" 10 minutes" was WAY OFF. SLICE THE CHICKEN, POUND THE CHICKEN, season, deglaze bacon pan, make cream cheese spread. Pouring drippings in casserole, Spreading cream cheeseIt took me MUCH MORE than 10 minutes prep time. Cooking bacon, 15 minutes, chicken in skillet, approximately 5 minutes, pouring juice in casserole. etc. COOKING IN OVEN, as in recipe. It did not add up! Should have been DONE in 31 minutes, according to directions and " cooking time", took me 1.5 hours or more. Maybe try checking your prep and cook time once more But, it was delicious!!
