Applewood Smoked Bacon "Shingled" Chicken

This chicken... it's beyond words. Lacquered with sweet honey mustard and topped with a patchwork of applewood smoked bacon. It's so simple, but so WOW at the same time. The chicken is moist, the bacon is chewy-crispy-smoky (with hints of apple), and everything comes together in about 25 minutes. 

This dish is a simple layering of chicken breasts, honey mustard and bacon, but that flavor... someone forgot to tell the chicken that this was supposed to be a simple dish. 

I adore this easy and fun presentation for chicken. I mean, it's entertaining-worthy, don't you think? It's such a simple process too - I cut the bacon into little squares and arranged the pieces on top of boneless chicken breasts, like rooftop shingles. They clung to the chicken because there was a sweet/tangy coating of honey mustard on top. The smoky apple flavor from the bacon (which comes from various apple trees) partners perfectly with the mild chicken and tangy honey mustard. It's awesome how much flavor you get from FOUR ingredients! 

Why nestle bacon on top of chicken? Because everyone LOVES bacon and we ALWAYS need ideas for chicken! 

About the bacon: I used applewood smoked bacon because we love it, AND it was on sale (in my store, it NEVER goes on sale, so I jumped on the opportunity to save money and buy something we cherish). That said, you can use any bacon you want, including hickory and brown sugar. 

Applewood Smoked Bacon "Shingled" Chicken

Note: For paleo and keto dishes, opt for bacon that's uncured (read labels and look for paleo-friendly bacon). Or choose turkey bacon. 

Cooking spray

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 4-5 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons honey mustard

2 strips applewood-smoked bacon (about 1/4-inch thick), cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped green onions for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and transfer to the prepared pan. Spread 1 teaspoon of the honey mustard over the top of each chicken breast half. Arrange the bacon pieces in slightly overlapping rows on top of the chicken.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is crisp. If the bacon isn’t as crisp as you would like, place the chicken under a preheated broiler and broil for 1 minute, or until bacon is browned and crisp.

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and sprinkle the green onions over top if using.

Serves 4