This easy and delicious Hasselback Chicken is stuffed with Spinach, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cream Cheese, and Bacon! Low-carb and gluten-free recipe! One-pan family meal made in a casserole dish.
Do you enjoy delicious and flavorful low-carb recipes? Then, this Hasselback chicken with cream cheese, bacon, and spinach is what you're looking for! It's packed with protein and low in carbs. You will also enjoy bacon cream cheese chicken and baked Ranch chicken with broccoli and bacon!
Hasselback Chicken
- What is the origin of the term Hasselback? Usually, we use it in reference to Hasselback potatoes - a traditional Swedish side dish. How is it made? The potato is sliced about halfway through into thin slices. Then it's topped with butter and other toppings and baked until crispy. Hasselback potatoes originated from Hasselbacken Restaurant in Stockholm.
- What is Hasselback chicken? The chicken breasts are slit halfway through into thin slices that are still connected at the base. Do not cut all the way through the chicken. The slits are then stuffed with the delicious toppings. And, the chicken is baked!
What to stuff chicken with
- What is the best chicken stuffing? The spinach dip and bacon! Cream cheese, Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Spinach goodness is stuffed into the slits of Hasselback chicken.
- You can also stuff the chicken with just cream cheese slices and cooked bacon.
- What you get is a creamy cheesy chicken with lots of savory flavors! The chicken breast is tender and moist thanks to the stuffing.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy! Just carefully make the slits in the large chicken breasts. Then, stuff the chicken!
- You get the spinach cream cheese dip + bacon with every bite!
- Versatile! Make your own spinach dip or you store-bought one! Or, use any other cheese dip. This recipe is also great if you want to use up any leftover spinach dip or other kinds of cheese dip.
- This Hasselback chicken is a gluten-free and low-carb recipe.
- It's a one-pan meal! Made in a casserole dish! Only one pan to clean.
Side Dishes
How to make Hasselback chicken
1) Preheat oven to 375 F.
2) Use large chicken breasts. They are easier to handle when making slits.
3) Slice the top of each chicken breast. Make about 6 slits on top of each chicken breast, going ¾ way down, without cutting it through.
4) Add chicken breasts to the casserole dish.
5) Mix spinach dip ingredients together: cream cheese, Mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, minced garlic.
6) Fill the slits with the spinach dip. You will only use half of the dip.
7) Slice cooked bacon horizontally into shorter slices. Slide them into slits. Or, just place them on top of chicken. They will pop out anyway when cooking.
8) Cook at 375 F for 20-30 minutes until the Hasselback chicken is cooked through.
Tips and Tricks
- Use large chicken breasts. They are easier to use for Hasselback chicken.
- Make about 6 slits on top of each chicken breast. The slits should be made halfway through or ¾ way down and still connected at the base. Do not cut all the way through the chicken.
- Use cooked and drained bacon slices.
- Stuff the chicken in the casserole dish to minimize the mess.
Other low-carb chicken recipes
Hasselback Chicken with Bacon, Cream Cheese, and Spinach
Ingredients
Spinach Dip
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup Mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 ounces frozen spinach chopped, thawed
- salt to taste
Hasselback Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 6 strips bacon cooked, drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Mix spinach dip ingredients together. Add salt to taste.
- Slice the top of each chicken breast. Make about 6 slits on top of each chicken breast, going ¾ way down, without cutting it through.
- Add chicken breasts to the casserole dish.
- Fill the slits with the spinach dip. You will only use half of the dip.
- Slice cooked bacon horizontally into shorter slices. Slide them into slits. Or, just place them on top of chicken. They will pop out anyway when cooking.
- Cook at 375 F for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi. Do you cook the bacon slices until crisp? I mean, if they are already cooked and then 30 minutes in the oven - will they not be "black"/overcooked?
Thank you
Good point! When I pre-cook the bacon, I do not cook them until crisp - just until the bacon is cooked. Then, it works well in this recipe!
I forgot to buy cream cheese. Can I use almond,boil it,let it sit,then add mozzarella cheese?
Laura, I would just use more Mozzarella and Parmesan.
OMG - I'm going to try this with prosciutto, pepperoni, or salami vs bacon......and a bolder cheese (bleu cheese perhaps?). I used to make something similar, calling it "Michelle's Moldy Chicken", lol. Thank you for this recipe.
Michelle's Moldy Chicken (with blue cheese) - love it! 🙂 This would be so good with prosciutto or salami - great idea!
Delicious! I also used fresh spinach so it takes a bit more by the time you wilt it. Then in the same pan I let the cream cheese soften and add the other cheeses to the spinach. Delicious!
Kyle, thank you for your feedback and 5-star review! 🙂
Did you cook the fresh spinach?
No, I used frozen spinach that was thawed and I chopped it up.
Is it Possible to make this ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, you can completely bake this chicken, and then freeze it.
What do you do with the other half of the dip?
Pamela, I made this amount of spinach dip and then realized it was too much for this recipe, so I just used the leftovers the next day with another meat - as a side dish.
This is the 2nd time I have cooked this recipe and I love it so much! Usually I half the fat pieces of chicken and pound it, but with putting the slits into the chicken it makes it perfect to cook since I don't do pink chicken. The only thing I did different the second time was add diced bell pepper and onion, more seasoning, and cooked the bacon more and placed on top. It was freaking delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe - I will continue this one forever 😉
Shannon, I am so flattered by your comment - THANK YOU! 🙂 Love your additions the second time you cooked it!
Do I use fresh parm cheese or canned?
I used fresh Parmesan cheese that I shredded myself, not the canned one. You can use pre-shredded Parmesan (longer strands), not the powdered kind.
You stayed in the recipe only use half of the dip what are you do with the other half?
That's a good question. The reason I used only half of the dip is that I couldn't fit the other half of the dip into the chicken. So, you can spread the remaining half of the dip at the bottom of the pan and place the chicken on top of it before adding the chicken to the oven. Or, just use the other half for a snack.
why wouldn't you just make half the amount of dip?
That's a really good point! I guess I just used the other half of the dip as an appetizer! 🙂
My family LOVED this dish! I made a few small changes... 1st, I used chopped fresh spinach, not frozen. I used 5 oz, but I think I could have used a little more, probably 8 oz would have been about right. 2nd, I used 8 slices of bacon, 6 wasn't enough for all of the slices in the chicken with using 4 large ones. And, finally, I just spread the extra filling over the tops of all the chicken breasts before adding the bason. It took 35 minutes to cook all the way through & it was absolutely delicious!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such positive feedback - I really appreciate it.
Giving it a try
Looks great- love the recipe
I hope you like it! Let me know how if you give it a try!
Everyone loved it. But we have leftovers--any suggestions? We're going to try to freeze them after vacuum sealing them
You can freeze this recipe! Vacuum sealing is a great option!
Made this dish, had to remove all cheese due to dietary needs, really good and will repeat often. Thanks for sharing this great dish
Lynette, you are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Can’t wait to try!
Still wonder why u make that much spinach dip and only use half.
Love to get new Keto recipes
It doesn't say what to do with the other half of the spinach dip. If it doesnt require all of it, then why not cut the ingredients and portion in half so there isnt a waste!