I found this recipe on one of the many BBQ Forums on the internet - http://www.pelletheads.com/. The recipe was submitted by one of my friends - Wes - all this guy does is post pictures of his food and recipes. I don't think he does anything else but cook - and cook really well! BUT - I figured if Wes could make something this fantastic - so could I - and so can you!
Use a standard muffin pan.
The ingredients are super simple and makes 6 stackers:
- Bacon - I used thick cut double smoked bacon but you can use any bacon. I suggest Farmer John Thick Cut - about 1lb.
- Purple Onion - about a 1/2 onion
- Roma Tomato - about 1 tomato
- Chicken Breast - 2 is enough
- Mozzarella Cheese - an average size pack should be good
- Fresh Basil - 10 or so leaves is fine. You can use dried Italian herbs if you can't get your hands on some fresh Basil - but try and get fresh basil!
Thick slice the Roma Tomato and the Red Onion. Super thick cut the mozzarella. Don't be shy!
Chop up the fresh basil.
You don't have to use too much chicken for this recipe. 2 breasts is plenty for 6 stackers. Slice each breast in two and then slice each half.
I used some really great double smoked bacon from a specialty smoke house. You can use any type of bacon you want but I suggest Farmer John Thick Cut.
If you use regular Thick Cut bacon, the pieces are much longer. These pieces pictures are shorter but doesn't really hurt the recipe. Cross the strips of bacon in the bottom of each cup in your muffin pan.
Put a 1/4 piece of chicken breast in each muffin pan pocket.
Add the onion, tomato, and mozzarella cheese on top of each piece of chicken. If someone has a problem with the onion or tomato you can leave it off but I think they'd be missing out.
Top with the fresh chopped basil. If you don't have basil, you can use whatever type of Italian herbs or dry rub you want.
You can see how tall these stackers are before they are cooked. You won't be disappointed on the portion even with a 1/4 piece of chicken. If you use the normal thick cut bacon, it will overlap on top of the stacker. It should stick to itself but if it doesn't, you can hold it in place with a toothpick.
Put the muffin pan in the smoker at 225. You can also cook these in the oven or on a charcoal BBQ on the indirect side. I used a Royall Pellet Grill for this cook.
I used apple wood pellets for this recipe. You don't want to use too strong of a wood so it overpowers the chicken and vegetables.
If you cook this recipe in the oven, you can bump up the temp to 300F.
When the internal temp of the chicken reaches 165 F, this ultimate stack is ready to eat. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes and then get ready to eat.
I used a burger bun with some mayo. The stackers will pop right out of the muffin pan. You can let them rest on a paper towel for a few minutes to let the excess juices drip out - but I wouldn't.
The flavors from the onion and tomato and the fresh basil blend perfectly with the saltiness of the mozzarella and the bacon. The moist chicken makes the stacker pop. Overall - an amazing snacker! More like a meal!
Let's eat!
