Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

This is old-school comfort food, the kind of casserole that turns up at church potlucks and on weeknight tables across the Midwest. A chicken breast gets wrapped in bacon, set over a layer of dried beef, and baked until the bacon crisps and the chicken turns tender.

The genius is in the layering. The dried beef on the bottom seasons the chicken from below and soaks up the juices, while the bacon bastes it from above as it renders. Both are salty and savory, so you barely need any other seasoning.

The finish is a simple sauce of sour cream stirred together with cream of celery soup, poured over for the last stretch of baking. It melts into a tangy, creamy gravy that ties the salty meats together and begs to be spooned over rice. A splash of water in the pan early on keeps everything moist while the bacon crisps. It’s humble, fast to assemble, and the kind of dish people ask the recipe for, even if they’d never admit how simple it is.

Kitchen Tips

• The dried beef and bacon are both salty, so go easy on added salt or skip it entirely.
• Add the sour cream sauce only for the last 15 to 20 minutes. Stirred in too early, dairy can break and curdle over long heat.
• For crispier bacon, run it briefly under the broiler at the end before saucing.
• Soak the dried beef in water for a few minutes and pat dry if you want to cut the saltiness.

Variations

• Swap cream of celery soup for cream of mushroom or cream of chicken.
• Use thinly sliced prosciutto in place of dried beef.
• Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes instead of rice.