Tangy Barbecued Chicken Bundles

24h
Prep Time
60m
Cook Time
1d 1h
Ready In


"Sweet, spicy, chicken wrapped with crisp bacon that has been grilled over a charcoal fire where once eaten with a fork and knife cheese oozes out. Serve it with a side of fresh summer corn or your favorite side. What could be more delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed this chicken dish which I severely modified from my Land O Lakes cookbook until it was no longer the same recipe but a 2nd cousin.""

Original is 8 servings

Nutritional

  • Serving Size: 1 (270.8 g)
  • Calories 497.7
  • Total Fat - 19.3 g
  • Saturated Fat - 8.4 g
  • Cholesterol - 137.8 mg
  • Sodium - 1777.3 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate - 24.7 g
  • Dietary Fiber - 1.1 g
  • Sugars - 18.2 g
  • Protein - 54 g
  • Calcium - 432.6 mg
  • Iron - 2.6 mg
  • Vitamin C - 2.3 mg
  • Thiamin - 0.2 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

The night before; mix the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

Step 2

To the bowl add the cleaned and skinned chicken breast halves. With spatula or cleaned hands distribute marinate ingredients to distribute around chicken evenly.

Step 3

Carefully place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag. Pour marinate over chicken, scraping all with a spatula.

Step 4

Seal bag tightly making sure air is pushed out from bag. Place bag in clean bowl so that any potential leaks may be caught within the bowl. Place chicken in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Step 5

Place chicken into a sieved bowl to pour off marinate. Discard marinade.

Step 6

Make a slit into each chicken breast half to form a pocket, being careful not to puncture the sides and bottom piece of each chicken breast.

Step 7

Sprinkle celery salt or barbecue seasoning evenly into each pocket and place cheese chunks into each. Set aside.

Step 8

To a hot skillet, cook bacon partially until it is slightly cooked but pliable. Be careful not to cook all the way through as bacon won't be manageable for the next step.

Step 9

Brush barbecue sauce over each chicken breast half.

Step 10

Wrap each chicken breast criss-cross with 2 slices of bacon. Secure with sturdy wooden toothpicks, managing it so the bacon is secure so that cheese won't drip through when cooking.

Step 11

Prepare grill placing coals to once side; heat until coals are ready and hot. Place an aluminum drip pan right beside the coals or make a drip pan by making your own using aluminum foil.

Step 12

Place chicken on grill over the drip pan. Brush with some more barbecue sauce. Grill, for 30 - 40 minutes turning occasionally for even cooking. Grill over indirect heat until 10-or-so minutes just before the point of chicken being cooked through. (Refer to NOTE II).

Step 13

Place chicken directly over hot coals to crisp up bacon and finish the chicken off to the point where it's cooked through for approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Intermittently brush barbecue sauce during this cooking process. (Refer to NOTE II).

Step 14

With a long set of tongs, remove chicken onto platter. Remove toothpicks and brush with some more barbecue sauce, if desired.

NOTE I: Other type of cheese may be used such as Muenster, Havarti, Monterey, Mozzarella, etc., as long as it melts well and adapts with the flavors of the chicken


NOTE II: Depending on your grill/coals, the cooking time may fluctuate from the time mentioned in the method above. Use your best judgement with the goal to crisp up the bacon and to cook the chicken to the desired doneness. If you don't own a charcoal grill, this recipe can also be cooked using a propane grill. This chicken may also be finished half-way through cooking process where you may finish it off in the oven at the end of the cooking process.


Tips


No special items needed.

3 Reviews

ellie

We enjoyed this chicken even with my adjustments. I didn't have any garlic powder so used garlic salt and then I didn't have any celery salt so used celery seed. I also have a gas grill, so some adjustments were made for that but all-in-all a very interesting and good recipe and will make again but next time I think I will use shredded chicken as it will probably be easier. I also only marinated the chicken for a few hours. Thanks for sharing!

4.0

review by:
(17 Jun 2019)

LindasBusyKitchen

I loved everything about this chicken, from the super moist interior and yumminess of the barbecue flavors on the outside. Thank you for sharing it with us Natasha! Linda

5.0

(11 Aug 2016)

TeresaS

We're mixed with the review...we loved the flavor and the moistness of the chicken...but trying to keep the bacon on the chicken after it was cooked...was a challenge...I used the bbq seasoning and put the required amount of cheese in the chicken pocket...but we both couldn't locate the cheese while eating...so I would suggest adding more...we were wondering why marinade in the hot sauce mixture...if you were just going to throw on bbq sauce...but...maybe that's what gave it the yummy flavor...made for "For Your Consideration" tag game...

4.0

review by:
(2 Aug 2016)

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