These bacon wrapped chicken thighs are pure magic!! I stuffed them with my favourite things like mushrooms and goat cheese but you can choose whatever you like!
Looking for a cheese stuffed, wrapped appetizer? Try Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto!
For my money, one of the best ways to transform a humble piece of meat is to stuff it with something spectacular. It’s something I’ve done plenty in the past, adding a creamy twist to classic meatloaf.
Or for something even more spectacular to serve on special occasions, how about Aromatic Spice Rubbed Pork Stuffed with Herbs and Garlic? Turns out that stuffing food inside of more food makes the whole thing just a bit more special!
That love of stuffed meat is what brings me to this recipe for bacon wrapped chicken thighs. I’ve stuffed them with a fantastic mixture of goats cheese and mushrooms cooked with onions and herbs.
Simple yet elegant, it’s one you are sure to love!
Stuffed chicken thighs
It turns out that chicken thighs are ideal for stuffing. They have a natural cavity where the bone used to be, which makes them simple to work with.
Even better, they are more affordable than the skinless, boneless chicken breasts we often reach for. And because they have a higher fat content than chicken breasts, thighs stay juicy when cooked in the oven.
I hope you are not thinking right now that you’d love someone else to make them for you because they look too fiddly. I promise you the most difficult part about making these little parcels of yum is wrapping bacon around chicken.
The oven does all the work! Just imagine juicy chicken and creamy mushroom bites with smoky bacon as your reward at the end. If you serve it at dinner party your guests will be SO impressed!
What can I stuff chicken thighs with?
There are so many delicious things that could be used for stuffing chicken breast or chicken thighs.
If you want to go the traditional route, you can stuff your chicken thighs with a mixture of breadcrumbs and herbs or add chestnuts and sausage.
Tradition is great but I thought of something that would be even more fun. How about mushrooms with caramelised onions and herbs mixed with creamy, tangy goat cheese? Doesn’t that combination sound divine?
If the answer is yes, scroll to the bottom to the recipe. But if those ingredients are not your thing, don’t worry, I give a list of substitutions below!
Substitutions
- You can easily substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast. Just cut a 3 inch pocket into the thickest part of the chicken breast for stuffing. Because they have a lower fat content, they will be less juicy than thighs.
- You can replace goat cheese with cream cheese.
- If you are not a mushroom fan, you can easily use chopped canned artichokes or cooked spinach.
- Finally prosciutto slices can work well in this recipe instead of bacon.
Recipe tips and notes
- For UK readers, use streaky bacon for wrapping. The extra fat in the bacon will add flavour, moisture and a crispy finish to the chicken thighs.
- A couple of minutes under the broiler is important for finishing this recipe off right. The broiler will make the bacon crispy. Be sure to keep a close eye on the chicken thighs while under the broiler as they can burn quickly if you are not careful.
Serving suggestions
These chicken thighs are crying out for a potato side dish, like Oven Roasted Potatoes with Mushrooms and Onions or Hasselback Potatoes. It’ll also pair perfectly with Butternut Squash Casserole.
Because it is stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, it can be a fairly rich meal which benefits from a fresh salad. A Summer Tomato Salad or Beet Sauerkraut Salad will do the job nicely!
Storage and leftovers
Any leftover stuffed chicken thighs can be kept in a fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Warm the up in an oven preheated to 180C/360F for at least 15 minutes, or until the chicken is hot throughout. It should have an internal temperature of 75C/165F.
Alternatively, warm up in an air fryer set to 185C/365F. It should take 5-6 minutes.
I wouldn’t recommend warming these chicken thighs in a microwave. You will lose the crispiness of the bacon, which is part of what makes this recipe so great.
More chicken thigh recipes
Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100 g /1 cup chestnut mushrooms chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp soft goat cheese
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 12 strips of streaky bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F/220C. Heat olive oil in a medium pan and cook the onion until tender over low heat for 5 minutes, add mushrooms, thyme leaves, a pinch of salt and pepper and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
- Put cooked mushrooms and onions in a food processor or blender and process until it's the same consistency as olive tapenade. Cool for 10 minutes. Mix mushroom and onion mixture with goat cheese.
- Lay out the chicken thighs flat on a cutting board smooth side down and spread 1 tbsp of mushroom and goat cheese mixture on each thigh and then wrap it tightly. Wrap two bacon strips around each chicken thigh and transfer it on baking pan seam side down.
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then turn the oven to broil/grill and broil for 2 more minutes until bacon is crispy.
David Jung says
Well, that was pretty straightforward and came out great. I used my oven at 440F and convection mode, with the chicken on a rack. The bacon came out just right for me. I would recommend making sure to season/salt the inside of the thigh before stuffing.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, David. Great reminder to always season the meat with salt. It does so much more than people realise.
Ann Davis-Rowe says
Very good! Next time might try baking on wire racks so the bottoms crisp, too. Excited to have tried this new-to-us technique and to have it in mind for the future since it uses so many of our pantry staples.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Great to hear, Ann!! Enjoy! The variations of this recipe are endless!
Pamela says
This is my go-to for a quick dinner. Our fav is goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I love that combo, Pamela!!
NAM says
This is probably one of the best recipes that I have tried in several months! It’s easy to put together; thighs are juicy; you can stuff them with your favorites; and you can add a salad and roasted green beans to round off a great dinner- esp for guests! For me, it is a make it, bake it, serve meal because it really doesn’t need attention while it is cooking. Thanks!
vikalinka says
What a great review! Thank you!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I often stuff chicken thighs with sausages (wild boar and apple a fav) and wrap in bacon but I do like the sound of your stuffing and your photography makes them look so good I have to try these.
vikalinka says
Thank you, Jacqui. Now I need to try the wild boar and apple stuffing. Sounds amazing!
Sarah says
I made these tonight for dinner. I just chopped the mushrooms and onions finely and that worked great.
My hubby really enjoyed it!
vikalinka says
Sounds great, Sarah! I love anything with mushrooms!! 🙂
Inna says
Would other mushrooms work for this recipe?
vikalinka says
Yes, absolutely, just make sure your mushrooms aren’t too wet when you combine them with cheese, Inna!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
Oh wow I LOVE this!! I am totally making this over the weekend! Such delicious flavours! Thanks for joining our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party! xx
vikalinka says
Let me know how you like it, Lucy!! x
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Love this dish! I have always loved mushrooms and goat cheese together and the bacon just takes it over the top 🙂
vikalinka says
They could be stuffed with anything really but a bacon wrap is a must! Thanks, Jennifer!
Darren says
I made this tonight for my mother’s birthday. It turned out great! Good thing for the bacon wrap though. There was no way I was able to “wrap each thigh tightly” without it. 🙂 Thanks!
vikalinka says
Great to hear, Darren. Thank you for letting me know! 🙂 Another way is to secure them with toothpicks but I really didn’t want any sticks in my food and I thought bacon did a good job holding them together.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
After reading the name of your recipe I was intrigued, but then when I scrolled down and saw the BACON I was completely hooked 🙂
vikalinka says
Ah the magic of bacon! 🙂 Thanks Sue.
Andrea @ Made With Pink says
These look absolutely delicious! What gorgeous photos as well. I’m so making this. Pinning now!
vikalinka says
Thank you, Andrea! I am sure you will love them!