Almond Bacon Chicken
Originally published as Almond Bacon Chicken in Taste of Home February/March 2001, p8 We enjoyed this flavorful dish at a friends house years ago, and I had to have the recipe, writes Ruth Peterson of Jenison, Michigan. She assembled it so quickly, and it cooked in no time.
Originally published as Almond Bacon Chicken in Taste of Home February/March 2001, p8 We enjoyed this flavorful dish at a friends house years ago, and I had to have the recipe, writes Ruth Peterson of Jenison, Michigan. She assembled it so quickly, and it cooked in no time.
- Carbohydrate 9.29187493962308 g
- Cholesterol 135.08272119975 mg
- Fat 19.2381845112587 g
- Fiber 1.06872912099142 g
- Protein 44.489000108576 g
- Saturated Fat 4.81429078973204 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (277g)
- Sodium 615.781798109806 mg
- Sugar 8.22314581863166 g
- Trans Fat 1.69041286134199 g
- Calories 397 calories
Step-by-step
- In a microwave, cook bacon on paper towels on high for 1 to 2-1/2 minutes or until partially cooked.
- Wrap a bacon strip around each chicken breast. Sprinkle with pepper. Arrange in an 8-in. square microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 5-1/2 minutes; drain.
- In a large bowl, combine soup and broth; cover and microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Spoon around chicken. Cook, uncovered, 3-6 minutes longer or until juices run clear. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with almonds.
Crisp slices of cured pork wrap tightly around lean poultry breasts, contrasting against a velvety, savory sauce punctuated by toasted nut flakes. When subjected to microwave cooking, meat proteins undergo rapid denaturation through dielectric heating, which excites water molecules within the flesh to cook the protein swiftly. Wrapping the poultry with partially rendered pork strips ensures that the exterior fat renders further into the meat during the final heating stage, keeping the interior moist without requiring dry oven heat.
Preparing this dish ahead of time requires careful consideration of texture preservation. Assembled raw chicken wrapped in bacon can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours before cooking. Freezing the assembled dish prior to any cooking is also viable for up to two months, though the condensed soup base should ideally be mixed fresh upon thawing rather than frozen directly with the raw poultry to prevent separation of the dairy emulsions during the defrosting cycle.
Reheating leftovers safely demands moderate thermal application to avoid toughening the lean poultry. Setting a microwave power level to seventy percent for three to four minutes prevents the exterior protein fibers from seizing while thoroughly warming the center. Adding a splash of water or extra broth to the storage container before reheating helps reconstitute the concentrated soup sauce, restoring its initial velvety consistency.
Pairing this protein-heavy preparation with an acidic side dish balances the rich dairy and sodium profile of the condensed soup. Steamed green beans tossed with a splash of lemon juice or a crisp green salad dressed in a sharp vinaigrette provide the necessary tart contrast to cut through the heavy sauce and toasted fats.
