Chicken, Bacon And Artichoke Recipe

Pound and Marinate

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are very thick, place between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Whisk together 3 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs lemon juice, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours; bring back to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking if chilled.

Sear (optional)

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs olive oil (reserved from sections). When shimmering, sear chicken 1-2 minutes per side until golden (this step builds color but is optional if short on time). Remove chicken to the side of the pan.

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add bacon strips and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and when cool enough to handle, chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Drain excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tbs in the pan.

In the same skillet with ~1 tbs bacon fat, add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts and 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes; cook 2–3 minutes until heated through and slightly caramelized. Stir in 1/4 cup chiffonade basil and the chopped bacon. Remove from heat and set aside.

Toss 2 cups tomatoes with 1 tbs olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper on a small rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for 15–18 minutes until wrinkled and slightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.

Arrange the marinated (and optionally seared) chicken breasts in a single layer in a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking dish or the same ovenproof skillet used earlier. Spoon the bacon-artichoke mixture evenly over each breast, dividing it among the pieces. Scatter the oven-roasted tomatoes around and on top of the chicken.

Top each breast with about 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella (divide the 1 cup evenly) and sprinkle the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan evenly over all pieces. Finish with a light dusting of 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using.

Bake in the 200°C (400°F) oven uncovered for 18–22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken reads 74°C (165°F) and cheese is melted and bubbling. If you like more browning on the cheese, broil 1–2 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove dish from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with remaining fresh basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, spooning pan juices and tomato bits over the chicken.