Description
Creamy beer cheese chicken with crispy bacon elevates comfort food to gourmet heights. Succulent chicken nestles in a rich, tangy sauce, crowned with crisp bacon bits that promise irresistible flavor in each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 8 ounces (226 grams) bacon, crispy
Liquid & Seasonings:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) lager
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk (2%)
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Aromatics & Thickeners:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) celery
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup (226 grams) sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Infuse the chicken with a flavorful beer marinade by mixing lager, garlic, salt, and pepper in a shallow container. Submerge chicken breasts and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, allowing the liquid to penetrate and tenderize the meat.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking to reach room temperature. Heat skillet to medium-high, drain chicken from marinade, and sear breasts in oil until golden brown and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes per side.
- In the same skillet, render bacon until crisp and brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate, reserving bacon fat in pan.
- Sauté diced onion and celery in bacon fat until softened and lightly caramelized, roughly 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until aromatic, approximately 1 minute.
- Deglaze pan with beer, allowing liquid to reduce for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle flour and cook briefly to eliminate raw taste. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and milk, simmering until sauce thickens.
- Enhance sauce with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and hot sauce. Remove from heat and incorporate shredded cheddar cheese until smooth and fully melted. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Return chicken to skillet, coating with sauce. Mix in three-quarters of crispy bacon. Garnish with remaining bacon and fresh herbs before serving.
Notes
- Let chicken marinate longer for deeper beer-infused flavor, enhancing meat’s tenderness and taste profile.
- Choose light or amber lager for balanced sauce complexity, avoiding overly bitter or strong beer varieties.
- Remove chicken just before complete doneness to prevent overcooking, allowing residual heat to finish cooking without drying out meat.
- Swap regular bacon with turkey bacon for lower-fat option, maintaining crispy texture and smoky undertones.
- Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch to create sauce for celiac-friendly adaptation without compromising creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-28 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg