Cheesy Loaded Chicken Breast
Everybody’s favorite cheesy loaded chicken breast featuring melted cheese, crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms, and honey mustard dipping sauce!
Back when Kim and I first met she introduced me to a restaurant with it’s roots in central Arkansas.
The place was called Colton’s Steakhouse. I looked at the menu and my eyes locked on the perfect dish. It was their loaded chicken.
Tender grilled chicken breast topped with applewood bacon, melted cheese, and sauteed mushrooms. Served with a side of tangy honey mustard dressing.
Once the meal reached the table, I dug in. Needless to say, it was love at first bite. For today’s recipe, we’re sharing our adaptation of that dish.
Kim even grilled the chicken to perfection on our cast iron griddle. If you love Colton’s loaded chicken, then you won’t be disappointed.
Best of all, it only takes about 35-minutes from start to finish. Especially, if you use our tips at the bottom of the post.
In my opinion, the best side dish for this main course is our twice baked potatoes recipe topped with more cheese and bacon!
How to make loaded chicken?
First, preheat the grill over medium heat and brush it will a little oil to keep the chicken from sticking.
Sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper and place them on the hot grill. Let them cook for about 8-minutes on each side.
While the meat cooks, go ahead prepare the bacon per the package instructions. Now, we usually cook bacon in the oven so we can multitask in the kitchen.
For example, while the bacon bakes, Kim or I would cook the chicken breast and saute the mushrooms.
Speaking of which, to saute the mushrooms, place a medium-sized pan over low-medium heat and allow it to warm up.
Next, toss in the sliced mushrooms and butter. Let everything cook, while stirring, for about 7-minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.
Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
Once the chicken is done (a meat thermometer shows 165 degrees F. in the thickest part of the breast) it’s time to assemble the dish.
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. and place the grilled chicken into a large baking dish or on a sheet pan.
Then, spoon the mushrooms over the breasts. Afterward, place the cooked bacon strips on top of the sauteed mushrooms and sprinkle with cheese.
After that, put the pan into the oven just long enough to melt all that cheese. It should only take a few minutes.
Last, remove the pan from the oven and top with diced green onions.
For the true Colton’s experience, make sure to serve the loaded chicken with a side of tangy honey mustard.
Loaded Chicken Breast Tips:
- Experienced cooks can multitask. When I’m cooking a meal like this, I can bake the bacon, grill the chicken, and saute the mushrooms at the same time. Start with the bacon on sheet pan and place it into the oven, then move on to the chicken. Once it’s grilling, you can saute the mushrooms. Everything should be done within a few minutes of each other. It can be hectic, but with practice, that skill will save hours in the kitchen.
- Microwave bacon is another way to shave a little time off this recipe. Prepare per the package instructions and move on with your life.
- Not everybody likes honey mustard and that’s okay. Try using a different condiment like, spicy ranch dressing instead.
- You can use frozen, pre-cooked chicken breasts for this recipe. However, due to brine in the processed product, it may be way saltier than intended. So, use that tip at your own risk.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and pounded to the same thickness
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon canola oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 8 slices of bacon, cooked
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon green onions, diced
- 4 tablespoons honey mustard dressing, (optional dipping sauce)
Instructions
- Heat a grill or griddle over medium heat. Brush the hot griddle lightly with oil, salt and pepper both sides of the chicken, and place the chicken on the griddle.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon canola oil
- Cook the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until the thickest part reads 165°F on an instant read thermometer and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the griddle and place on a plate. Cover with foil.
- While the chicken cooks, saute the mushrooms. Heat a medium skillet over low to medium heat. Add the butter and mushrooms, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the mushrooms soften. Set aside.1 tablespoon unsalted butter4 ounces white mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 250°F, and place the chicken breasts in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Layer the mushrooms over the chicken breasts. Place two pieces of cooked bacon on each breast over the mushrooms. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the bacon.8 slices of bacon2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese2 ounces Monterey jack cheese
- Transfer the dish into the warm oven just long enough to melt the cheese. After the cheese melts, remove the pan from the oven, top the loaded chicken with chopped green onions.1 teaspoon green onions
- Serve hot with a side of honey mustard dressing. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.4 tablespoons honey mustard dressing