Description
This Baked Chicken Lorraine recipe is your new weeknight hero! It takes all the classic, sophisticated flavors of a Quiche Lorraine—smoky bacon, nutty Swiss cheese, and savory onions—and combines them into a creamy, dreamy topping for tender baked chicken. It’s pure comfort, surprisingly easy, and ready in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
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- Four 5-oz. raw boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 slices center-cut or turkey bacon
- 4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190°C). Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Place and Season the Chicken: Arrange the four chicken cutlets in the prepared baking pan. In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning blend evenly over the chicken.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Bring a medium skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and onion. Cook and stir for about 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and are translucent.
- Create the Creamy Lorraine Sauce: Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the whipped cream cheese, light sour cream, and Dijon mustard directly to the hot veggies in the pan. Mix vigorously until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is uniform and creamy.
- Smother the Chicken: Spoon the creamy veggie and cheese mixture evenly over the four chicken cutlets in the baking pan, ensuring each piece is generously coated.
- Bake the Chicken: Place the baking pan in your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C).
- Cook the Bacon: While the chicken is baking, cook the bacon slices until crispy (in a skillet or in the microwave). Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into small, crispy bits.
- Top with Cheese, Bacon, and Broil: After 30 minutes of baking, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Set the oven to BROIL. Lay one slice of Swiss cheese over each chicken breast, then sprinkle the chopped crispy bacon evenly over the cheese.
- Place the pan back in the oven under the broiler. Broil for about 3-5 minutes, watching it constantly, until the cheese has melted and begun to brown.
Notes
- Step 2 Tip: Before seasoning, pat your chicken cutlets completely dry with a paper towel. This helps the seasonings stick and prevents the chicken from steaming in the pan.
- Step 3 Tip: Want an even deeper, richer flavor? Keep cooking! Let the veggies cook for an extra 5-6 minutes, stirring less frequently, to let them caramelize and get golden brown.
- Step 4 Tip: Removing the skillet from the heat is important to prevent the sauce from “breaking” or curdling. The residual heat from the pan and veggies will melt the cream cheese.
- Step 8 Crucial Tip: Do NOT walk away from the broiler! The cheese and bacon can go from perfectly melted and golden to burnt in a matter of seconds. Keep your eye on it!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Baking, Sautéing, Broiling
- Cuisine: American, French-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 prepared chicken cutlet
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
