Easy Smothered Chicken Breasts

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin

8 bacon strips

1 onion, sliced

¼ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Mix flour, bread crumbs, garlic salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Coat each chicken breast with flour mixture.

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving bacon drippings; drain bacon on paper towels.

Cook and stir coated chicken breasts in the bacon drippings until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side; remove and keep warm.

Cook and stir onion, lemon-pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar in the same skillet until onion is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven s broiler.

Arrange chicken breasts on a baking sheet; top each breast with 2 bacon slices. Top with caramelized onion and Colby-Monterey Jack cheese.

Broil chicken breasts until cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes.