Bacon Cheddar Ranch Chicken

The fact that I made this recipe, and I'm sharing this recipe, makes me feel a little bit guilty. I feel guilty because A) Nick LOVES this chicken and B) the thing he misses MOST (food-wise, of course) being overseas is bacon. So, I feel guilty, but not so guilty that I will hold this deliciousness out on you. This chicken is good. Like super good. I've talked about how I mostly eat just chicken, so I'm always brainstorming ways to reinvent it and make it interesting. Plain chicken every night just gets old. This chicken, does not get old. The melted cheese holds on to the bacon and melts into the ranch dressing in all the right spots. I'm not sure why this combination is so good together, it just is. It's like peanut butter and jelly, made for each other.

I served it with my crispy italian potato wedges and a side salad and they were a great combo. Highly recommended. This meal comes out looking pretty elegant and time-consuming but it really didn't take very much time at all. The most intensive part was me cutting up the potatoes. For real. Week night fancy meal, here you go!

Ingredients: (4 servings)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
30 minute marinade for the chicken (I used teriyaki, but any marinade will do!)
1/4 C. Ranch dressing (I used healthy ranch dressing!)
1/2 C. Shredded cheddar cheese
3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Step 1: Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or so, this step isn't NECESSARY I just like to layer the flavor all the way through the chicken so I recommend it.
Step 2: Heat a skillet on medium- high heat, remove chicken from marinade & discard marinade, put chicken in the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes per side- just to give them a little color they don't have to cook all the way through.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet or baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.
Step 4: Place chicken breasts in the pan.

Step 5: Top chicken breasts with ranch dressing. It will kindof go everywhere, that's okay!

Step 6: Top ranch dressing with the shredded cheese.

Step 7: Top cheese with crumbled bacon.

Step 8: Bake for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven, or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through.

End result, cheesy, bacony, goodness!

Serve & Enjoy!

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