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+ servings
chicken breast wrapped with fatty bacon and baked until caramelized to perfection in baking dish
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5 from 14 votes

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This bacon wrapped chicken has wonderful flavors of smoky sweet and spice. Chicken breast lightly seasoned with brown sugar spice mix, wrapped in fatty bacon, dusted with more brown sugar mix and baked until caramelized on the outer, moist inside. It’s ridiculously easy to make and incredibly delicious chicken dish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder I used garlic granules, can use fresh minced garlic too
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or use chili flakes or substitute with more smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper freshly ground

Chicken

  • 4 chicken breast or use thin chicken tender cuts or large chicken thighs
  • 8 strips bacon thick ⅛ inch strips are best, regular ones can be used too
  • ¼ cup brown sugar feel free to adjust quantity as per YOUR taste preference

Garnish

  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix all ingredients for the rub – brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder (or granules), onion powder, freshly ground pepper and salt.
  • Use half the brown sugar spice mix and sprinkle on both sides of chicken breasts. Rub to spread it evenly all over on both sides.
  • Wrap bacon around chicken breast. Depending on the size of chicken breast and length of the bacon you’ll need 2 to 4 bacon to wrap chicken fully. Wrap bacon gently but as tight as you can without tearing bacon. For neat even look try to start and finish seam side down to secure bacon.
  • Arrange bacon wrapped chicken breast in baking dish.
  • Sprinkle remaining brown sugar spice mix all over the chicken evenly.
  • Bake bacon wrapped chicken breast in pre-heated oven at 375 degree Fahrenheit (or 185 degree Centigrade) for 25 to 30 minutes, spooning over the pan drippings over chicken every 10 minutes for juicy chicken with extra flavor.
  • You’ll know if chicken is done or not with the use of thermometer. Stick the thermometer right in the middle of the chicken breast and if temperature readings are 165 F, chicken is cooked through. If you don’t have thermometer, check for done-ness but cutting breast in the center. If it’s all the way through white, chicken is cooked.
  • Optional Step – to make crispy bacon, once chicken is cooked through, broil it in broiler mode for 2 minutes.
  • Remove chicken from oven.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
  • Serve it hot. Don’t forget to spoon over generously the pan drippings over chicken before serving. You can serve this wrapped chicken over a bed of mashed potatoes or with roasted potatoes on the side with veggies on your choice.

Video

Notes

  • This recipe can be done with chicken breasts, or chicken thighs (if you want juicier chicken), chicken tenders or even bone-in chicken wings (eating bone-in chicken is trickier).
  • Use long thick cut (⅛ inch thick strips) streaky/fatty bacon.
  • Depending on the size of chicken breast, number of bacon used will vary.  
  • You can substitute brown sugar with maple syrup or honey.
  • Baste bacon wrapped chicken regularly with pan drippings for even cooking, neater look and extra flavors.
  • If  bacon begins to smoke at 375 F, reduce temperature slightly. Remember every oven temperature works differently.
  • Optional - after baking, broil for 1-2 minutes under the broiler to make the bacon golden and crispy. 
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 978mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 662IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg