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Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon Chicken recipe - the chicken breasts are seasoned with dry Italian salad dressing mix, smothered with the creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and bacon, and baked to perfection! The best baked chicken ever!
If you want to know how to cook the best chicken breasts, this is the recipe for you! No more boring, dry chicken. A lot of people prefer to bake their chicken vs. frying it on the stove top, and in this recipe the chicken breasts are baked in the oven and are very juicy and moist and flavorful thanks to all the stuff on top!
This Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon Smothered Chicken is one of the best chicken breast recipes I ever made! It's just like stuffed chicken, instead you put everything on top and bake!
How to make Sun-Dried Tomato Spinach Bacon Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Use 4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breast, sliced horizontally in half.
Butter the bottom of the baking dish. Season chicken breasts from both sides with the Italian salad dressing mix. Place the chicken breasts, flat side down, into the greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F.
In the mean time, make the creamed spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes until it is heated through and starts to wilt. Remove from heat. Add minced garlic and half and half. Bring to boil. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and keep stirring, on high heat, until mozzarella cheese starts to melt - about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to simmer and keep stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach - about 30 seconds or 1 more minutes. The creamed spinach should be pretty thick in texture, not watery. If watery, bring to boil again and cook off extra liquid, constantly stirring. Season with salt. Remove from heat.
Remove the baking pan with chicken breasts from the oven (you baked them for 15-20 minutes):
Top each chicken breast with creamed spinach:
Then, top with sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil and chopped into smaller bites):
Next, top with chopped cooked bacon:
Next, top with the broken slices of pepper jack cheese.
Bake in the oven, uncovered for 15-20 more minutes, until the smothered chicken is completely cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear:
These are really some of the best baked chicken breasts I ever made!
Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon Chicken
Ingredients
Baked Chicken Breasts:
- 1.5 lb chicken (4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breasts sliced horizontally in half)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 0.5 oz Italian Dressing mix packet (half the packet)
Creamed spinach:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 oz baby spinach fresh
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ⅔ cup half and half
- ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Other ingredients:
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil, chopped into smaller bites
- 4 slices bacon cooked
- 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey cheese with jalapenos
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Butter the bottom of the baking dish. Season chicken breasts from both sides with the Italian salad dressing mix. Place the chicken breasts, flat side down, into the greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F.
How to make creamed spinach:
- In the mean time, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes until it is heated through and starts to wilt. Remove from heat. Add minced garlic and half and half. Bring to boil. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and keep stirring, on high heat, until mozzarella cheese starts to melt - about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to simmer and keep stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach - about 30 seconds or 1 more minutes. The creamed spinach should be pretty thick in texture, not watery. If watery, bring to boil again and cook off extra liquid, constantly stirring. Season with salt. Remove from heat.
Smothered Chicken Breasts:
- Remove the baking pan with chicken breasts from the oven (you baked them for 15-20 minutes). Top each chicken breast with creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil and chopped into smaller bites), chopped cooked bacon, and broken slices of pepper jack cheese. Bake in the oven, uncovered for 15-20 more minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.
Video
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.
Julia, this recipe is outstanding! Chicken breasts were moist and beautiful with the creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, jack cheese and bacon put it over the top! It looks beautiful coming out of the oven. My guests loved it as well. I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks so much!
Gerri
Gerri, I am so glad this recipe was a hit with you and your guests. 🙂 Thank you for such a positive review! 🙂
I made this last night for dinner and my husband loved it. He made the comment it reminded of another recipe I had made. He said what he really loved was the pepper jack cheese (addicted), tomatoes and bacon on top which was different. This recipe replaced the other one. Thank you for providing recipes that my husband loves.
Darlene, thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! ❤️ My husband is a pepper jack addict, too, so I totally understand! 🙂
I tried this recipe with the family last night and they loved it. Will do this again.
Sarah, I am happy to hear this recipe is worth repeating! ❤️
I enjoyed this recipe a few years ago when I first made it, but then we forgot about it, so I’ve pulled it out to use again? Curious what side dishes you have served with this. I have plans for some roasted/sautéed carrot medallions but still looking for other ideas to match with the flavor profile
Kara, so glad you rediscovered this recipe again! ❤️ About side dishes, here is what I recommend:
➡️ To keep it LOW-CARB, serve it with roasted spaghetti squash, roasted asparagus, or green beans.
➡️ Or, serve it with pasta such as angel hair, spaghetti, bow-tie pasta
➡️ Serve it with store-bought ravioli or tortellini. It's great with gluten-free ravioli!
Here are some of my side dishes you might try:
https://juliasalbum.com/zucchini-spaghetti-squash-with-pine-nuts/
https://juliasalbum.com/parmesan-spaghetti-squash-spinach-and-bacon-with-pine-nuts/
https://juliasalbum.com/garlic-green-beans/
My husband said this was the best chicken recipe I've made, and I've made quite a bit!
Wow, Deborah, I am so flattered! Thank you for taking the time to share your rave review and the 5-star rating! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight. I just happen to have all the ingredients. We loved it. My husband said to say it’s delicious!!!
Cindyfire, thank you for your review and 5-star rating! ❤️ Glad this recipe was a success! 🙂
This is one of the best chicken recipes i have tried. It is easy and soooo delicious. Thank you.
Diane, I am so happy to hear that! ❤️ Thank you for taking the time to share this positive feedback! ❤️
Looks wonderful
Thank you so much!
Is it ok to use chicken thighs ?:) I’ve made before with breasts and it was so goood, but only have thighs :((
Sara, yes, you can use skinless boneless chicken thighs.
I have made this often and it's always a big hit. It's delicious
I am usually not a fan of white meat chicken because it is usually dry, but this was amazing. I didn't have mozzarella, so I used a combination of Swiss and Gruyere. Even the leftovers were fantastic. Thank you for sharing this.
Bonnie, I am so glad you were able to enjoy white meat chicken with this recipe. Thank you for this wonderful feedback and 5-star rating! 🙂
This is by far the best chicken recipe I’ve made THIS YEAR! Love the blend of flavors, and I also homemade the Italian dressing mix which really enhanced the flavor. This is my next dinner party star
Loved it!!
Thank you!
Pamela, your comment made my day! ❤️❤️❤️
What a delicious recipe,thank you so much.carol
Thank you for the 5-star review, Carol! 🙂
Just made this recipe for my husband and I for dinner and it was wonderful. Nice change up to grilled chicken. Looking forward to trying some other recipes.
Ruth, I am so glad this recipe turned out well! 🙂 I hope you explore and try some of my other recipes!
I jist noticed I for lots to cut chicken breast in half. What do I do? They been in there 20 minutes so far???
Tina, if your chicken breasts are on the thicker side, just bake them longer, until they are cooked through. Thicker chicken breasts might take 10 or 20 minutes more.
Today was the second time I made this entree. It's so so good!!! I made a few changes this time. I increased the creamed spinach (we love spinach and this recipe is perfect) and increased the toppings. My husband loves bacon. All of the ingredients come together to perfectly. This recipe is a keeper.
Thanks Julia
Quincella, your comment literally made my day! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment. ❤️