Creamy Beer Cheese Chicken With Crispy Bacon

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  4 Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless(1088g)

  Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.

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  0.5 cup Beer, Lager
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  1 tsp 1 teaspoon salt
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  1 1 pinch cracked pepper
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  150 g Bacon
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  2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
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  1 Yellow Onion(110g)
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  1 Celery(40g)
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  4 Garlic(12g)
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  2 tbsp Flour, All-Purpose, White
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  1.3 cup 2% Milk
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  0.5 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
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  0.5 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

  Lea & Perrins is the standard. A little goes a long way.

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  1 tsp Vegetable Bouillon Cube, Dry
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  1 tsp Mustard, Dijon

  Dijon mustard — Grey Poupon or store brand. Spicier than yellow mustard.

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  1 Hot Sauce, Frank'S RedHot
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  0.7 cup Cheddar Cheese
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  1 1 Pinch Salt (To Taste, If Desired)
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  1 1 Pinch Pepper (To Taste, If Desired)

Instructions

1. 1Combine the lager, garlic, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.
2. 2Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the chicken and cook in batches until golden brown on both sides and no longer pink in the center, 6–8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled.
4. 4Add the onion and celery to the remaining bacon fat in the pan (or melt the butter if needed) and cook over medium heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the fresh garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. 5Pour in the beer and simmer until slightly reduced, 3–4 minutes over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk until smooth, then simmer over medium heat while stirring occasionally until thickened, 4–5 minutes.
6. 6Remove from heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, vegetable bouillon cube, Dijon mustard, and Frank's RedHot sauce. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted and smooth. Fold in three-quarters of the crumbled bacon and taste, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
7. 7Return the chicken to the skillet and warm through over low heat, 2–3 minutes until heated through.
8. 8Divide evenly into 4 airtight containers while hot. Top each with the remaining crumbled bacon before serving or storing.