These Panko Crusted Chicken Breasts have a delicious French onion infused crunch on the outside, with the melty goodness of Swiss cheese and crisp bacon lying in wait to reward whomever should bite into it!
Chicken is pretty much nature’s blank canvass, inviting you to unleash your culinary creativity in a quest to create an unlimited number of flavor profiles. If you get bored with chicken, it’s probably because you are in a recipe rut, not because you ran out of ways to make it. If you are in a rut, this panko crusted chicken recipe is the perfect solution.
Panko Crusted Chicken Breasts
Panko adds a wonderful crust to chicken breasts, and provides a satisfying crunch without deep frying. This recipe further enhances the flavor by using French Onion Dip as the binder. Not only does it help the panko stick to the chicken, it adds wonderful flavor.
Feel free to use store-bought French Onion dip or my Homemade French Onion dip recipe. Either will work great.
Stuffed Chicken Breast
These chicken breasts are further improved by stuffing them with Swiss cheese and smoky bacon. You can customize this by substituting your favorite cheese, or even adding diced chives.
How to Stuff Chicken Breasts
Make a deep cut in the side of the breast a couple inches long and use your fingers to gently open a cavity inside the breast for the filling. Use toothpicks to hold the opening shut and prevent cheese from oozing out while baking. Placing bacon in last, kind of as a "door", will help prevent cheese from seeping out as it melts. See photo below.
When is stuffed chicken done baking?
Chicken is done baking when it reaches 165 degrees. When stuffing chicken it is important to ensure the filling has also reached 165 degrees as it will contain juices from the cooking chicken. The easiest way to ensure your stuffed breast is cooked properly is using a digital meat thermometer.
More chicken breast dinner recipes
Panko Crusted Chicken Breast Stuffed with Swiss and Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 strips cooked bacon
- ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup French Onion Dip
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast a couple inches long.
- Use your fingers to work open a deep opening inside the chicken breast without tearing a hole through the flesh.
- Add half strip of bacon inside the cavity, then cheese, and finally the other half strip of bacon should block the opening.
- Place dip and Panko in separate bowls, combining salt in the Panko dish.
- Coat each chicken breast in a light, even, coating of dip and then coat in Panko breadcrumbs.
- Place each coated breast on a wire baking rack and bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Beth
This was sooooo good. My family loved it!
Jennifer Quillin
Do you use like the McCormick 's DRY mix and use it dry? Or do you use a liquid AuxJus and passionate the mix with water before dipping the chicken in?
Fox Valley Foodie
I use the dip shown in the photographs.
Kathy K
I enjoy all your posts, and this sounds fabulous! Did you pre-cook the bacon?
Fox Valley Foodie
I really appreciate the nice comment! And yes, the bacon is pre-cooked. Thanks for asking that, I should have mentioned that in the recipe and will edit it accordingly!
Stephanie
What a creative way to use Kraft French Onion Dip! I'm always looking for easy family meal ideas that don't sacrifice flavor. I will definitely give this recipe a try! Thank you! #client
Fox Valley Foodie
I'm so glad you like the recipe, I know you'll love the flavor even more!