This cheesy bacon hasselback chicken recipe is so good I can’t even tell you how much! Combining chicken with cheese, bacon and spinach, along with herbs and spices, this creamy bacon chicken is low in carbs but high in flavour. This air fryer chicken recipe is perfect for bacon and cheese lovers! Making a chicken breast in the air fryer is a guaranteed quick meal for those busy nights. You and your family will absolutely LOVE this air fried chicken breast with bacon.
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What makes this every cheese lover’s dream dinner is the cheese of course. And considering this recipe uses not one but five different kinds of cheese, you won’t be disappointed.
It’s an easy air fryer chicken recipe that is refreshingly simple to put together. In fact, the hardest thing about it is deciding what to serve as a side dish.
Chicken breasts are so versatile. They can be marinated, baked, fried, and so much more. They also suit hasselback recipes. Have you tried hasselback potatoes before? You need to cut slits along the length and insert other ingredients.
I love to make caprese air fryer hasselback chicken, which is an air fried chicken breast stuffed with tomato slices, mozzarella and basil. But sometimes you want to add something extra-meaty to your chicken breast in the air fryer. And that’s why bacon is a natural addition to this cheesy chicken dish.
Air Fryer Hasselback Chicken Ingredients
So the starting point for this cheesy bacon hasselback chicken is the chicken itself and breast is the perfect cut for it.
The five cheeses are mozzarella, cream cheese, colby jack, pepper jack, and cheddar. These cheeses offer a combination of different flavours and they all go together well. If you like, you can swap some of the cheeses for others. I’m pretty sure anything would work!
Spinach is another tasty addition to this air fryer chicken recipe. And then garlic and smoked paprika add flavourful touches. You can use regular paprika if you don’t have the smoked kind or even sub chilli powder or cayenne pepper in its place.
How to Make Super-Simple Creamy Bacon Chicken
Once you have all the ingredients for air fried chicken breast to hand, you can get started. Cut some slits into the top of the chicken but make sure you don’t cut the whole way through.
Mix the rest of the ingredients apart from the mozzarella in a bowl and then stuff this mixture into the slits you cut in the chicken. Now you can add the mozzarella on top. So how do you cook chicken breast in the air fryer? That’s the even easier part. Put the prepared cheesy bacon hasselback chicken in the air fryer and spritz some non-stick spray over it.
The chicken will take about 15 minutes at 360 degrees F but this depends on the thickness of the chicken and your air fryer. If it’s not cooked through (still pink inside) give it a couple more minutes and check again. Repeat this step until the air fried chicken breast is perfectly cooked.
Tips for a Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Recipe
This cheesy bacon hasselback chicken is already great as it is, but let’s look at some tips to ensure it comes out perfect. Cooking chicken breast in the air fryer is simple and quicker than using the oven. It’s also really convenient.
Make sure you have skinless, boneless chicken breast for this recipe. It works better than any other kind. As for the cheese, although you can use any kinds you want, don’t sub the cream cheese for something else. It helps the other cheeses stick together and also adds a creamy texture.
Bacon Bits can be subbed for crumbled cooked bacon. If you prefer not to use spinach, you could sub chopped mushrooms instead or another minced vegetable. Some onion powder or minced fresh onion would be good with the bacon and cheese too. There are lots of variations on this creamy bacon chicken recipe.
Keep an eye on the time because the cheesy bacon hasselback chicken timing varies. Chicken thighs might be hold to overcook but breasts have less fat so they’re less forgiving.
If your air fryer tends to cook quick or your chicken breasts are thin, check on your air fryer hasselback chicken after maybe 12 minutes just in case. This air fryer hasselback chicken is far too good to overcook!
Cheesy Bacon Hasselback Chicken Side Dishes
This recipe is already very low in carbs so you might like to balance that out with a baked potato or some fries.
If you are a fan of this air fryer chicken recipe, you might also like Easy Air Fryer Cinnamon Maple Baked Apples, Slow Cooker Spicy Corn and Jalapeño Cheese Dip or One Pot Spinach and Red Bean Shakshuka.
Air Fryer Cheesy Bacon Hasselback Chicken Recipe
Air Fryer Cheesy Bacon Hasselback Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
- 4 Oz. cream cheese 1/2 block
- 1/2 Cup colby jack cheese shredded
- 1/2 Cup pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1/2 Cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 Cup cooked bacon chopped
- 1 Cup spinach fresh, chopped
- 1 Tsp. garlic minced
- 1 Tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 1/2 Tsp. pepper
- 1/2 Cup bocconcini mini mozzarella balls
Instructions
- Make about 6 slits across the top of each chicken breast, making sure not to cut all the way through.
- In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the bocconcini and mix well.
- Fill each slit with the cheese mixture and top with a couple bocconcini balls.
- Place each chicken breast in the air fryer basket and spray with olive oil or non stick cooking spray. Place the basket in the air fryer.
- Set the air fryer for 360 degrees F for 15 minutes. Check for doneness, if not completely cooked, cook for an additional minute or two.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
On the other hand, if you want to keep it keto then consider a side dish of sautéed zucchini or steamed cauliflower. Another idea is to omit the spinach from the air fried chicken breast and make garlic spinach on the side instead.
If you are looking for other chicken recipes, you might also like this Flavourful Slow Cooker Salsa Fresca Chicken.
This looks so good!
O.M.G! Can I come to dinner? This looks delicious and now I’m hungry
All that cheese makes me happy. I need to try this soon!
What a yummy recipe! I love this dinner idea and it really came out great. My family gobbled it up and will make it again soon.
OMG this sounds so good!!! I need to get comfortable with my air fryer, it’s just sitting there taunting me and i’m scared!!
I’ve been on the hunt for some delicious air fryer chicken recipes and I think this one just made it to the top of my list! So excited to try it out.