Southwest Bacon Pounded Chicken
Servings: 4 | PRINT RECIPE | BACK TO RECIPES
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 45 min.
| 8 slices | Wright® Brand Smoked Bacon, cut in half |
| 4 | Tyson® Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts |
| 1 cup |
All Purpose Flour |
| 1 ½ teaspoons |
Salt |
| 1 teaspoon |
Black Pepper, ground |
| 2 teaspoons |
Chili Powder |
| 16 small sprigs |
Fresh Cilantro |
| 8 teaspoons |
Vegetable Oil |
For Pico de Gallo:
| 1 ½ cups |
Fresh Tomatoes, 1/2-inch dice |
| ½ cup |
Red Onion, 1/2-inch dice |
| ¼ cup |
Fresh Cilantro, chopped |
| 1 |
Lime, juice of one |
| ¼ teaspoon |
Salt |
| ¼ teaspoon |
Black Pepper, ground |
- To prepare pico de gallo, combine all pico de gallo ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- Next, combine flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder in a small bowl.
- Working on a clean cutting board surface, place two sprigs of cilantro on top of one five-ounce chicken breast. Using two half-slices of bacon, cover the cilantro and then sprinkle some seasoned flour over the bacon. Next, using the textured side of a meat mallet, lightly pound the bacon into the chicken breast, adhering the bacon and thinning the breast. Add more seasoned flour to prevent sticking to the mallet as you work.
- Once the bacon and cilantro are "pounded into" the chicken breast, be sure to lightly coat both sides of the chicken with seasoned flour. Repeat this process for all 4 chicken breasts.
- Meanwhile, preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add about one teaspoon of oil per breast to the skillet. Fry the pounded chicken breasts on both sides, beginning with the bacon side down. This should take 2-3 minutes on each side. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F; finish in a 350°F oven, if absolutely necessary. Chicken should be thin enough, however, to fully cook in the skillet.
- Top chicken with prepared pico de gallo, and serve with your favorite southwest rice!
