Bacon-wrapped chicken makes an easy, family-friendly dinner that looks and tastes like you spent hours preparing it. With only about 10 minutes of prep, thick bacon slices, and a brown sugar glaze, the chicken bakes to a caramelized sweet-and-savory finish that everyone will love.
At our house, anything that pairs chicken and bacon is a hit, so I worked to create a version that avoided the soggy bacon and thin slices common in other recipes. After testing different spices, bacon styles, and cooking methods, I landed on a method that yields juicy chicken wrapped in thick, crispy bacon with a perfectly balanced sweet and savory rub.
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 slices thick bacon (2 slices per breast)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (for garnish)
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
Using a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet is essential. Elevating the chicken lets the bacon crisp evenly instead of steaming on the bottom.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a cooling rack on top. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Use half the spice mixture to rub the chicken breasts all over, reserving the other half to sprinkle on after the bacon is wrapped. Wrap each breast with two thick slices of bacon, placing the seam-side down on the rack so the bacon stays secure while baking. Sprinkle the remaining spice mix on top of each wrapped breast.
Bake at 400°F for about 35–40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Cooking time depends on breast thickness, so begin checking the internal temperature at about 20 minutes to avoid overcooking. When done, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- 8 slices thick bacon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Rub half the spice mix over the chicken breasts, reserving the other half.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top.
- Wrap each chicken breast with two thick bacon slices and place seam-side down on the rack.
- Sprinkle the remaining spice mix over the wrapped breasts.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes at 400°F, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Start checking temperature at 20 minutes, as cooking times vary by thickness.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimates and should be used as a general guideline.
Nutrition
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