This Cheesy BBQ Bacon Chicken is such a delicious easy dinner, that can be ready in 30 minutes, and is perfect for any day of the week. You’ll have tender chicken breasts, covered in bbq sauce, topped with melty cheesy, bacon, red onion, and jalapenos – it’s a flavor combo everyone will love.
Say hello to a dish that combines so many delicious flavors all into one amazing dish. The crunchy and smoky bacon, the gooey and melted cheesy, the sweet and tangy bbq sauce, the tender and juicy chicken breasts? It’s a mouthwatering creation that my whole family loves, and I know yours will too!
It’s a perfect weeknight dinner made with simple ingredients, and easy steps. It’ll quickly be on repeat at your house!
Why make this Baked BBQ Chicken
- Quick and Easy – This dish is so straightforward to make, with less than 10 ingredients, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Irresistible Flavor Combo – The combination of the gooey cheesy, crispy bacon, all on top of the tender, juicy barbecue coated chicken. It’s a flavor explosion that is sweet, smokey, and so delicious.
- Goes Well with Anything – You can pair this with any side dishes you have, or whatever your favorites are. From rice, to cheesy potatoes, to salad, or rolls, it goes with everything.
Ingredients Needed for Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Baked BBQ Chicken Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Skinless Chicken Breast
- Barbecue Sauce
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Colby Jack Cheese
- Bacon
- Red Onion
- Pickled Jalapeños
- Fresh Cilantro
How to make Chicken with Bacon and Cheese
- Prepare the chicken. Sprinkle the sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Cover the chicken breasts in barbecue sauce and place the chicken pieces side by side in the baking dish. (You can place it in a bag first to marinate in the fridge for about an hour, if desired).
- Bake the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese, bacon, red onion, and jalapenos over the top of the chicken and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through. It should reach an internal temperature of 165 F (checked with a meat thermometer). Continue cooking as needed to reach that temperature.
- Serve warm. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then serve warm topped with chopped cilantro and your favorite side dishes.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use Thin Chicken Breasts – Thicker pieces of chicken will increase the baking time by a lot. Thinner chicken will cook more evenly. If your chicken is very thick, split them in half lengthwise first.
- Don’t overcook the chicken – The worst thing is to get a dry, overcooked chicken breast. Cook the chicken to 165 F and no more to maintain its juicy texture. Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer
- Choose a good BBQ Sauce – The Barbecue sauce is one of the stars of this dish, so make sure you pick your favorite bbq sauce. Personally I love Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce.
- Different cheeses – Choose your favorite cheese to top the chicken. You could try Pepper Jack for a kick, Smoked Mozzarella for a little smokiness, etc.
Storage Instructions
Place any leftover bbqchicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. Reheat the chicken in a baking dish, covered with foil at 350 F for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until hot throughout.
You can enjoy the leftovers as is, or use them in a bbq chicken sandwich, bbq chicken pizza, nachos, or a bbq chicken salad.
What sides go well with BBQ Chicken?
Serve this dish with your favorite side dishes that will complement the rich flavors. Here are some of my favorites.
- Roasted Vegetables
- Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Bread or Bread Sticks
- Green Salad
- Rice or Quinoa
- Corn Bread Muffins
- Potato Salad
- Coleslaw
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- French Fries
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
Can I substitute boneless chicken thighs?
Yes. Instead of barbecue chicken breast, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer dark meat. You can also use chicken tenders as well, they’ll probably only need about 20 minutes of baking time.
This easy basked BBQ chicken is such a delicious dinner that brings together a mix of delicious flavors, and textures, all in one dish that is guaranteed to be hit for the whole family. You’ll love the mix of cheesy, smokey, flavors!
More Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Crescent Roll Ups
- Honey Lime Chicken
- Herb Crusted Chicken
- Crack Chicken Casserole
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Chicken Egg Rolls
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Cheesy BBQ Bacon Chicken
Ingredients
Easy Cheesy BBQ Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless)
- 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese
- 4 slices bacon (cooked, and chopped)
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
- 2 TBS chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray, and set it aside.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper, paprika, and garlic powder over the sides of the chicken breasts
- Place the chicken breasts into the baking dish and spread BBQ sauce on top of them.
- Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chicken.
- Sprinkle the chopped bacon, sliced red onion, and jalapeno slices on top of the chicken.
- Place the pan back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This baked bbq chicken was first posted on January 5, 2011. The photos and blog text were updated on February 16, 2024.
This post was originally made in the slow cooker – if you’d like to still make the recipe in the crockpot you can cook the chicken breasts at low for 4 hours, seasoned and covered in bbq sauce. Top with cheese, bacon bits, onion and jalapenos. Then cook on high for about 15 minutes. Top with cilantro after removing from the crockpot.
Kick says
What do you serve this with?
Aimee says
Rice, corn, Mac and cheese, salad, baked beans, honestly almost anything 🙂
Julie says
Is the chicken frozen or defrosted?
Aimee Berrett says
I do defrosted or fresh
Smum says
Can I cook lots bacon instead and put a slice of chicken on it? LOL
This recipe kinda feels like bacon-wrapped chicken “tournedos”.
Aimee Berrett says
If you want more bacon you could definitely serve it the other way 😉
Sarah says
Do you have a recommendation on how much BBQ sauce to use?
Aimee Berrett says
I usually use more than is needed, probably half a bottle. But you just need enough to cover the chicken pieces!
Lisa says
Is the bacon already cooked?
Aimee Berrett says
You’ll cook the bacon before you put it on the chicken. If you see step 4 it says cook 1 piece of bacon per piece of chicken. So if you make 6 chicken tenderloin pieces you’ll cook 6 pieces of bacon! 🙂
Bethany says
Can i use boneless skinless chicken breast??
Aimee Berrett says
Yes definitely! I have used chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts!
Liz says
This is a great easy recipe. Made for dinner tonight and the whole family enjoyed it. The chicken was so tender I had a hard time picking it out of the pot to serve.
Mel says
That looks so delicious. I have a crock pot that’s collecting dust may have to get out the duster for this one!! Mel from http://www.nailwraps.ca
Anne T. says
My husband is alergic to swiss cheese. What is the best substitute?
Aimee Berrett says
Can he eat other cheeses? I think provolone or cheddar would be good!