Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Welcome to a sizzling culinary adventure that combines two beloved ingredients: bacon and chicken. Bacon-wrapped chicken offers the ultimate marriage of smoky, crispy bacon and tender, juicy poultry.
Whether you’re looking for an impressive dish to serve at a dinner party or simply craving a delicious meal for yourself, we will guide you through the process of creating mouthwatering bacon-wrapped chicken. From tips on selecting the best cuts of meat to creative recipe ideas that will elevate your cooking game, prepare to tantalize your taste buds with this irresistible combination.
From the perfect dry rub to the crispy bacon this chicken does not disappoint. In fact my mother declared that this should be called lip smacking good chicken, and I think she is right.
Why You Will Love This Bacon Wrapped Chicken Recipe
If you love chicken and love bacon then this dish is for you. Bacon wrapped chicken is a great way to dress up your boring old chicken recipes that have been on repeat.
If you are like me and you love chicken, but have run out of ways to cook it then this recipe is for you.
I just love barbecue but miss the flavor of it when that cold weather hits and I am forced to cook inside. This recipe gives me all of that barbecue taste I love without stepping out in the cold.
When it comes to cooking I prefer to make this dish using a baking tray with a wire rack on top of it. I use this Nordic ware oven crisp baking tray that I purchased on Amazon.
It allows the grease from the bacon to fall onto the tray bellow and allows the heat to circulate around the Bacon Wrapped Chicken. This allows a more even cooking outcome, and helps to crisp up the bacon.
I like to line the bottom of the baking tray with aluminum foil, this allows for an easy clean up. If you only have a baking tray that will work as well. Whatever pan you use do not sweat it, this is an easy recipe to make.
If you are cooking for two or do not want to use the oven try making this in an air fryer. I am a huge fan of air fryer chicken and I know from experience that this recipe comes out great when cooked that way. Here is a link to the Instapot Air Fryer that I have and love.
Ingredient List
- 12 Chicken Tenders or 6 Chicken Breasts
- 12 Pieces of Bacon
- Barbecue Sauce either homemade or store bought. If you are watching your sugar or want to make this a low carb or keto dish then try using Sweet Baby Rays No Sugar Added Barbecue Sauce. It is by far the best tasting barbecue sauce I have ever had, and I do not miss the sugar.
- Dry Rub made with a spice blend. Ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and garlic salt all work together to make the perfect dry rub. This is a brown sugar mixture that brings the flavor of barbecue to an oven cooked meal.
- If you do not have chicken tenders on hand then feel free to use whatever type of chicken you have.
- I have made this recipe with chicken breast and chicken thighs. It turned out great with each one. Just add some extra cooking time for the larger pieces of meat.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
Dry chicken on a paper towel and set aside into a mixing bowl. Mix together the ingredients of the dry rub in a separate bowl. Pour the dry rub mixture over the chicken evenly coating all of the pieces. I will use a pair of tongs to move the chicken around ensuring all of the pieces are evenly coated.
Take a cookie sheet with a wire safe rack. Line the bottom of the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easier clean up. Place the oven safe cooking rack on top of the cookie sheet.
Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of bacon. Set them onto the oven safe wire rack seam side down. If you need to stick a toothpick into the bacon and chicken to secure it you can. Continue until all of the chicken is wrapped with bacon and placed onto the oven safe wire rack.
Place the chicken into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from the oven, turn the chicken over and cook an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and cover the chicken with barbecue sauce on the top side of the chicken. Place back into the oven for 5 minutes.
Options For Adding Barbecue Sauce To Bacon Wrapped Chicken
*Option 1: If you do not like a lot of Barbecue Sauce: You can remove the chicken from the oven If you want to, or you can crisp up the top of the chicken. To do this just turn on the broiler and let the top broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite side.
*Option 2: If you like a lot of Barbecue Sauce: Remove the chicken from the oven. Turn the chicken over and add more barbecue sauce. Place the chicken back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes. If you want to crisp up the top of the chicken turn on the broiler and let the top broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook raw bacon and chicken together?
- Yes, you can absolutely cook raw bacon with raw chicken. The combination of the two types of meat coming together is what helps to give this dish a great flavor. I have found that wrapping the chicken in the bacon actually helps to keep the chicken from drying out. And the juices from the bacon seep into the chicken and give it that hint of bacon flavor that is just irresistible.
What goes well with Bacon Wrapped Chicken?
Bacon wrapped chicken is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served in various ways, both as an appetizer or a main course. Here are some ideas on what goes well with bacon wrapped chicken:
- Roasted Vegetables: Serve your bacon-wrapped chicken alongside a medley of roasted vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. The caramelized flavors of the veggies complement the savory taste of the bacon.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes make a perfect side for bacon-wrapped chicken. The smooth texture of the potatoes pairs well with the crispy exterior of the chicken and adds an element of comfort to your meal.
- Grilled Asparagus: Lightly seasoned grilled asparagus provides a fresh and healthy addition to your plate. Its slightly bitter taste balances out the richness of the bacon and adds color to your presentation.
- Salad: A crisp salad makes for a refreshing accompaniment to bacon-wrapped chicken. Consider tossing together mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and avocado with a tangy vinaigrette dressing.
- Rice Pilaf: Fluffy rice pilaf infused with herbs like thyme or rosemary complements the flavors in your main dish while providing a satisfying carbohydrate component.
- Sweet Potato Fries: Swap regular fries for sweet potato fries to add some sweetness and extra crunch to your meal. These fries pair exceptionally well with bacon-wrapped chicken due to their contrasting flavors.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tips and Tricks
- Turn the chicken over half way during cooking. Doing this helps the bacon to be crispier. And who doesn’t love crispy bacon
- Speaking of crispy if you like your bacon super crispy you can crisp it up underneath the broiler before you add the barbecue sauce. Then add the barbecue sauce and cook it some more.
- Be generous with the dry rub. There is a lot of flavor in those spices and they bring a smokey sweet flavor to this dish. So make sure that you cover the chicken evenly and generously with it.
- Add a toothpick to secure the bacon and to keep it from unraveling. I like to use a full strip of bacon to wrap around my chicken. I pull it pretty snugly around the chicken and will place the chicken on the wire rack seam side down.
- This Bacon Wrapped Chicken recipe calls for 30 minutes of bake time. However not all ovens are created equal and do not cook the same way. There fore keep an eye on your chicken and don’t be afraid to add some extra time if you feel that it is needed.
Other Recipes to Try
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Sheet with Oven Safe Rack
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Tenderloins
- 8 Bacon Strips
- 6 tbsp Barbecue Sauce
Dry Rub Ingredients
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
- Dry chicken on a paper towel and set aside into a mixing bowl.Mix together the ingredients of the dry rub in a separate bowl. Pour the dry rub mixture over the chicken evenly coating all of the pieces. I will use a pair of tongs to move the chicken around ensuring all of the pieces are evenly coated.
- Take a cookie sheet with a wire safe rack. Line the bottom of the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easier clean up. Place the oven safe cooking rack on top of the cookie sheet.
- Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of bacon. Set them onto the oven safe wire rack seam side down. If you need to stick a toothpick into the bacon and chicken to secure it you can. Continue until all of the chicken is wrapped with bacon and placed onto the oven safe wire rack.
- Place the chicken into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.Remove chicken from the oven, turn the chicken over and cook an additional 15 minutes.Remove the chicken from the oven and cover the chicken with barbecue sauce on the top side of the chicken. Place back into the oven for 5 minutes.*Option 1:If you do not like a lot of Barbecue Sauce: You can remove the chicken from the oven If you want to, or you can crisp up the top of the chicken. To do this just turn on the broiler and let the top broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite side.*Option 2:If you like a lot of Barbecue Sauce: Remove the chicken from the oven. Turn the chicken over and add more barbecue sauce. Place the chicken back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes. If you want to crisp up the top of the chicken turn on the broiler and let the top broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite side.
Leave a comment