Spinach Artichoke Chicken Wrapped In Bacon

I know this sounds and looks like a lot, and it kinda is, but it’s actually really simple to make. Plus it’s outrageously delicious. Follow me…

Spinach Artichoke Chicken

Spinach and Artichoke Dip is one of my all-time favourite dips. So before I even tried stuffing it inside a chicken breast, I knew we were on to a winner here.

Spinach Artichoke Filling

This is close to the classic dip, but it’s a little thicker. Less of a dip, more of a thick filling. This is so it doesn’t just pour out of the chicken as it bakes. I prefer using frozen spinach over fresh – mainly because it doesn’t need any cooking, but also because I find it’s got a slightly more intense flavour. For the artichokes, I recommend marinated jarred artichoke hearts, just because they’re wrapped in gorgeous flavour. Alongside the spinach and artichokes, we’ve got heaps of cheese and some sour cream to loosen things up, alongside a touch of garlic for extra flavour.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

You essentially want to slice a pocket into the side of the chicken. Slice as deep and wide as you can, without slicing right through the chicken, just to make as much room for the filling as possible. We’re also going to season the chicken with a simple mix of paprika, garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Process shots: add thawed spinach, diced artichoke hearts, cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, sour cream, garlic and s&p to bowl (photo 1), stir to combine (photo 2), slice pocket in the side of chicken (photo 3), season (photo 4), open up chicken (photo 5), add filling (photo 6).

Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

When I was first playing around with this recipe I actually tested it without the bacon. But, soon realised that bacon was the way forward for 2 reasons:

Wrapping the chicken in bacon helps contain the filling. It helps keep the chicken moist as it bakes.

Plus bacon just works so well flavour-wise here.

What kind of bacon to use?

Here in the UK you’re looking for streaky bacon. Back bacon is more difficult to wrap and often doesn’t fit all the way around. In the US I believe it’s just regular bacon. Either way, just make sure the ends of the slices end up underneath the chicken, just so they don’t unravel in the oven. Process shots: fold back over chicken (photo 1), wrap in bacon (photo 2), add to large dish (photo 3), bake (photo 4).

Can I use chicken thighs?

Unfortunately only breasts are suitable for this recipe. Stuffing chicken thighs is pretty tricky!

Why is the baking dish watery as it bakes?

This has happened to me in the past, and it’s not a big deal, it just means the bacon underneath doesn’t crisp up. It’s mainly due to the spinach releasing water, so it’s important to squeeze out as much as possible beforehand. Unfortunately some brands of bacon have added water too. If you notice it happening to a large extent, just tip out the water midway or soak up with a paper towel. You could also use a wire rack.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

I recommend prepping the filling ahead of time and tightly storing in the fridge until needed.

Serving Spinach Artichoke Chicken

Once the chicken is cooked, you can switch on the grill to crisp up the bacon if you wish. When it comes to serving, below I’ve served with Fries and Rocket, but so many different Side Dishes will work perfectly with this recipe! For another delicious chicken wrapped in bacon recipe check out my Hunters Chicken! Alrightly, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this spinach artichoke chicken shall we?!