The chicken meatloaf wrapped in bacon is a tasty and easy-to-make dish, perfect for turning a simple chicken breast main course into a show-stopping proposal, also ideal for special occasions like Christmas holidays. If the traditional meatloaf usually evokes home cooking and everyday meals, this version wrapped in bacon stands out for its elegant appearance and irresistible taste, making it suitable for more refined dinners. The bacon crust, in addition to adding a delicious flavor, becomes crispy and golden during cooking, creating a pleasant contrast with the meatloaf’s interior, which remains soft and delicate thanks to the addition of ricotta in the mixture. This little trick replaces the traditional soaked bread crumbs, giving it a surprising lightness, as also seen in the recipe for pistachio chicken meatloaf or meatloaf with ricotta. The chicken meatloaf wrapped in bacon combines simplicity and elegance, making every occasion special!
You might also be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 423.54 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 2.10 (g) of which sugars 0.16 (g)
- Proteins 39.96 (g)
- Fat 28.46 (g) of which saturated 7.88 (g)of which unsaturated 4.35 (g)
- Fibers 0.12 (g)
- Sodium 264.75 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 170 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a chicken meatloaf wrapped in bacon
If you are celiac, check that the bacon has “gluten-free” on the label.
- 14 oz chicken breast (ground)
- 5.3 oz ricotta
- 1.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- to taste pepper
- 5.3 oz sweet bacon (or bacon, thinly sliced)
- 1/2 glass dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 0.35 oz butter (or another tablespoon of oil)
- to taste vegetable broth
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- Parchment paper
- 1 Pan non-stick with lid
How to prepare the chicken meatloaf wrapped in bacon
To prepare the chicken meatloaf wrapped in bacon, start by placing the ground chicken and ricotta in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg (1). Mix thoroughly, then add the egg (2). Combine it into the mixture, then add the grated parmesan (3).
Continue kneading carefully until you get a homogeneous, compact, and slightly sticky mixture (4). Take a sheet of parchment paper and lay out 7-8 slices of bacon side by side (5). Place the chicken meatloaf mixture in the center. With slightly damp hands, shape it into an elongated form, leaving a little free space at both ends of the bacon slices (6).
With the help of the parchment paper, wrap the meatloaf in the bacon, first on the bottom (7) and then closing it on the top and squeezing slightly (8). Gently remove the parchment paper, ensuring that the bacon remains attached to the meatloaf (9).
Cover any exposed parts with the remaining bacon slices (10). Wrap the meatloaf again in parchment paper and press lightly to compact it (11). In the end, the meatloaf should be entirely covered with bacon, even at the two ends (12).
Then proceed with cooking: in a large non-stick pan add the butter and oil (13), heat them well, then lay the chicken meatloaf in it (14) and let it brown over low heat for a couple of minutes. Turn it over using a spatula and let it brown on the other side as well (15).
When the bacon is evenly colored, raise the heat, and deglaze with the white wine (16). Let it evaporate, then lower the heat and moisten with some hot vegetable broth (17). Cover with a lid and let the chicken meatloaf cook over low heat for about 45 minutes, turning it halfway through and, if needed, moistening it again with some hot vegetable broth. Once the cooking time is up, remove the lid and let the cooking juices thicken briefly, then turn off the heat (18).
Let the chicken meatloaf cool slightly before slicing it: this way the slices will be less likely to break; shortly before serving, you can heat up the cooking juices to drizzle over it.
Storage
You can store the meatloaf in the refrigerator, in a glass container, for 2 or 3 days.
You can store the meatloaf in the refrigerator, in a glass container, for 2 or 3 days.
Tips and Variations
You can make the meatloaf wrapped in bacon using turkey ground meat instead of chicken. If you prefer to bake it, you can place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 356°F (static oven) for 45 minutes.
