Description
Bacon wrapped chicken tenders deliver a crispy, savory punch that will make your taste buds dance with excitement. Sizzling hot from the oven, these tender bites wrap juicy chicken in smoky bacon for a seriously delicious dinner shortcut.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 12 chicken tenders
- 12 slices turkey bacon
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
Sweetener:
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 350°F and position a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips and ensure crispy bacon.
- Blend 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon onion powder in a small bowl.
- Dust each chicken tender thoroughly with the spice mixture, covering both sides completely.
- Slice 12 turkey bacon strips in half lengthwise to create thin bacon wraps.
- Spiral two half-strips of bacon around each seasoned chicken tender, wrapping from end to end.
- Secure bacon with toothpicks if needed to prevent unraveling during cooking.
- Mix ⅓ cup light brown sugar with 1 tablespoon chili powder in a separate shallow dish.
- Roll each bacon-wrapped tender in the sugar mixture, ensuring full coverage.
- Arrange wrapped tenders on the rack, spacing them apart to allow even heat circulation.
- Roast at 350°F for 30 minutes until bacon turns crisp and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- For extra crispiness, broil 2-3 minutes at the end, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove toothpicks before serving and pair with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Use center-cut bacon for even cooking and less grease pooling on the baking rack.
- Avoid overlapping bacon strips when wrapping to ensure each section crisps properly.
- Check internal chicken temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption using a meat thermometer.
- Choose low-sodium bacon if watching salt intake, and swap turkey bacon for turkey breast slices for a leaner protein option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg