Elevate your meatloaf with this delicious Chicken Meatloaf recipe, featuring a cheesy mushroom stuffing and crispy bacon wrapping. Perfect for prepping ahead, it’s a flavorful and stress-free dish that's packed with flavor.
Let’s be honest—meatloaf often gets a bad rap as a boring, last-minute weeknight dinner. But this chicken meatloaf? It's anything but ordinary. Packed with juicy, flavorful chicken, a cheesy mushroom stuffing, and wrapped in crispy bacon, this meatloaf is a showstopper that’s perfect for both casual meals and special occasions.
The best part? You don’t have to spend a fortune or hunt down hard-to-find ingredients to make this dish. Everything you need is easy to find at any grocery store—no need for exotic spices or fancy ingredients. Plus, it’s a crowd-pleaser! Chicken is a universally loved protein, so no need to worry about picky eaters or special dietary restrictions. It’s a safe bet for feeding a big group without any fuss.
Even better, you can assemble this meatloaf ahead of time and pop it in the oven just before your guests arrive. This means you can actually enjoy the party, take your time getting ready, and let the oven do all the work. A stress-free host makes for a much more enjoyable gathering!
Ingredients:
Chicken Meatloaf
1 ½ lbs ground chicken
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup milk
1 egg
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 onion, grated
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
¾ teaspoon salt, ground black pepper
10-12 slices bacon
Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing
1 ½ Tablespoons butter or oil, divided
10 oz fresh white mushrooms, chopped (or any mushrooms that you like, even dry mushrooms)
1-2 shallots, minced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 fresh sprigs of thyme
salt, pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated (or cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, etc.)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
¼-1/3 cup sour cream
How To Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meatloaf
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the meatloaf mixture. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf except the bacon in a bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Set aside.
Prepare the stuffing.
In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil until shimmering on medium high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. 
Cook for about 15 minutes until the mixture is cooked through and starting to get golden. At first, the mushrooms will become very watery, but keep cooking on medium high heat until all the liquid is evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms. Discard the thyme stalks.
While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the breadcrumbs with the remaining ½ Tablespoon of butter or oil on medium heat in another skillet until golden brown. (I was toasting additional breadcrumbs for another recipe, so this is double the amount that you will need for the stuffing.) 
Combine the mushroom mixture, toasted breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and sour cream in another bowl.
Line a microwave safe plate with a paper towel. Place half of the bacon in a single row on top of the paper towel, top with another paper towel and weigh it down with another plate. Microwave for 1-3 minutes, just until the bacon is slightly shriveled. 
Repeat with the other half of the bacon. If you'd rather not use a microwave, you can partially cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove or in the oven and then pat it dry on a towel.
This will get the bacon jumpstarted on the cooking and take out part of the grease out of the bacon. If you skip this step, the meatloaf will be a lot more greasy and will take longer to cook, causing the meatloaf itself to be dryer.
Other Meatloaf Topping Options:
- Cheesy Topping: If you'd rather not use bacon, you can spread a thin layer of mayonnaise, mustard or greek yogurt all over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top of the meatloaf, creating a cheesy crust.
- Glazed Topping: You can also make a glaze topping for the meatloaf instead of the bacon or cheese. Mix together some ketchup, honey, maple syrup or molasses with a splash of cider vinegar and hot sauce. Brush the glaze on top of the meatloaf during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup later. Spray the sheet with oil too. You don't have to use aluminum foil or parchment paper. As long as you grease the baking sheet, your meatloaf will cook just fine. However, you will have a harder time transferring the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate and the baking sheet will be harder to clean.
Place half of the meatball mixture on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a slightly oval/rectangular shape. 
Place the mushroom stuffing in the center of the meatloaf. 
Place the remaining half of the meatloaf mixture on top of the stuffing and spread it out evenly. 
Shingle the partially cooked strips of bacon on top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly. I cut off the overhanging part of the bacon and tucked the ends underneath the meatloaf to make it neat.
You can do all of the prep work ahead of time, cover the meatloaf and store it in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven and how thick you make the meatloaf. The bacon should be crisp and golden.
The best way to transfer the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate is to get two large but thin spatulas underneath each end of the meatloaf and lift both ends at the same time. Let the meatloaf cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meatloaf
Ingredients
Chicken Meatloaf
- 1 ½ lbs ground chicken
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1 onion grated
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt ground black pepper
- 10-12 slices bacon
Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing
- 1 ½ Tablespoons butter or oil divided
- 10 oz fresh white mushrooms chopped (or any mushrooms that you like, even dry mushrooms)
- 1-2 shallots minced
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 1-2 fresh sprigs of thyme
- salt pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley minced
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese finely grated (or cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, etc.)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼-1/3 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the meatloaf mixture. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf except the bacon in a bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Prepare the stuffing. In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil until shimmering on medium high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until the mixture is cooked through and starting to get golden. At first, the mushrooms will become very watery, but keep cooking on medium high heat until all the liquid is evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms. Discard the thyme stalks.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the breadcrumbs with the remaining ½ Tablespoon of butter or oil on medium heat in another skillet until golden brown.
- Combine the mushroom mixture, toasted breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and sour cream in another bowl.
- Line a microwave safe plate with a paper towel. Place half of the bacon in a single row on top of the paper towel, top with another paper towel and weigh it down with another plate. Microwave for 1-3 minutes, just until the bacon is slightly shriveled. Repeat with the other half of the bacon. If you'd rather not use a microwave, you can partially cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove or in the oven and then pat it dry on a towel.
- This will get the bacon jumpstarted on the cooking and take out part of the grease out of the bacon. If you skip this step, the meatloaf will be a lot more greasy and will take longer to cook, causing the meatloaf itself to be dryer.
- Other Meatloaf Topping Options:
- Cheesy Topping: If you'd rather not use bacon, you can spread a thin layer of mayonnaise, mustard or greek yogurt all over the top of the meatloaf and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top of the meatloaf, creating a cheesy crust.
- Glazed Topping: You can also make a glaze topping for the meatloaf instead of the bacon or cheese. Mix together some ketchup, honey, maple syrup or molasses with a splash of cider vinegar and hot sauce. Brush the glaze on top of the meatloaf during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup later. Spray the sheet with oil too. You don't have to use aluminum foil or parchment paper. As long as you grease the baking sheet, your meatloaf will cook just fine. However, you will have a harder time transferring the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate and the baking sheet will be harder to clean.
- Place half of the meatball mixture on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a slightly oval/rectangular shape.
- Place the mushroom stuffing in the center of the meatloaf.
- Place the remaining half of the meatloaf mixture on top of the stuffing and spread it out evenly. Shingle the partially cooked strips of bacon on top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly. I cut off the overhanging part of the bacon and tucked the ends underneath the meatloaf to make it neat.
- You can do all of the prep work ahead of time, cover the meatloaf and store it in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven and how thick you make the meatloaf. The bacon should be crisp and golden.
- The best way to transfer the meatloaf from the baking sheet to your serving plate is to get two large but thin spatulas underneath each end of the meatloaf and lift both ends at the same time. Let the meatloaf cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it.
Olga! If I freeze part of the cooked meatloaf, what's the best way to reheat it?
You can reheat it on low heat in a skillet, in the oven, microwave or airfryer.
Hi Olga! I made this meatloaf the other day. My whole family enjoyed it saying how moist the meatloaf was. They also loved the filling inside. Bacon on top was like the icing on the cake!!! This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for posting detailed instructions.
When if you do not have shallots? Can I use regular onions?
Hi Marina. Yes, you can use regular onions.