Easy Cowboy BBQ Bacon Cheddar Chicken
A flavorful grilled chicken dish featuring marinated chicken breasts topped with melted sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon crumbles, BBQ sauce, and optional garnishes like cilantro and pickled jalapeños.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 8 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Pickled jalapeños, sliced (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to create a marinade. Reserve 1/4 cup of this marinade for basting later.
- If chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even thickness for uniform cooking. Place the chicken into a resealable bag with the marinade (excluding the reserved portion) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- While the chicken is marinating, cook the bacon until crisp. Once cooled, crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Grill the marinated chicken breasts for approximately 6-9 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
- During the final minutes of grilling, flip the chicken and baste it with the reserved marinade.
- Immediately sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the hot chicken breasts, allowing it to melt.
- Remove the chicken from the grill. Drizzle generously with your favorite BBQ sauce, then scatter the crispy bacon pieces over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and, if desired, pickled jalapeños before serving.