Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 5 strips thick cut bacon (I prefer Oscar Meyer)
  • 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breast
  • ½ cup ranch dressing (I use Hidden Valley)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instruction

  • Note: This marinade can be made without bacon and the chicken can also be cooked on the grill if preferred. See notes for instructions on baking in the oven.
  • Pat the chicken dry and slice in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner pieces of equal size. If you prefer thinner chicken, place saran wrap over the top and pound it to about 3/4 -inch thick. It will plump up more when cooked.
  • Combine the marinade ingredients. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and use the rest to cover the chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes or so. (Overnight works too.)
  • Meanwhile, cook the bacon slowly over low heat, flipping occasionally until crispy. Set aside and crumble once cool.
  • Reserve 2 TBS bacon drippings. (If you don’t have enough, use olive oil instead.)
  • Clean the pan or use a new one. A 13-inch pan is a great size for this recipe.
  • Heat the drippings over medium-high heat. Once it’s warm and glistening, and add the chicken. Leave a generous amount of marinade on each piece when it goes into the pan.
  • Sear on each side for 5-6 minutes, until a crisp golden sear is obtained. As the chicken cooks, add the reserved 1/3 cup marinade to the pan and spoon it over the chicken as it cooks. I like to lift the pan and rotate it to evenly distribute the liquid throughout.
  • Once the chicken is seared on each side and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees, remove from heat and garnish with bacon. Spoon any remaining sauce on top prior to serving!