Description
Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders bring together salty and sweet flavors that dance perfectly on your plate. These crispy, caramelized strips will make your taste buds sing with pure deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- ½ pound bacon
Seasoning and Spices:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cooking Liquid:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Crank your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for hassle-free cleanup.
- Whisk together ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt in a shallow mixing bowl.
- Grab your chicken tenders and thoroughly blot them dry with paper towels to help the seasoning adhere perfectly.
- Roll each tender generously in the brown sugar spice blend, making sure every inch gets coated with flavor.
- Take a slice of bacon and carefully wrap it around each seasoned tender, slightly overlapping the edges to create a delicious cocoon.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the bacon-wrapped tenders, which will help them crisp up beautifully.
- Arrange the tenders on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between each piece to ensure they brown evenly.
- Slide the sheet into the 400°F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, watching for the bacon to turn golden and crisp.
- Check that your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer for safe consumption.
- Pull the tenders from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes, allowing the juices to settle and flavors to meld.
Notes
- Always pat chicken tenders completely dry to help seasonings adhere and create a crispy exterior.
- Use thick-cut bacon for best results, as thinner bacon might become too crisp before chicken finishes cooking.
- Check internal chicken temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safe cooking and prevent dryness.
- For a low-carb version, replace brown sugar with a sugar-free alternative like erythritol or monk fruit sweetener.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 387 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 492 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg