This recipe features perfectly cooked bacon wrapped chicken with a caramelized crispy top and a juicy, tender center. Simply elegant, this cooks in less than 30 minutes.
Why you’ll love this bacon wrapped chicken breast recipe
- Flavorful. Not only does this dish look uber fancy, but it is also packed with buttery, garlicky flavors with caramelized sweet notes (it’s similar to crack chicken).
- Healthy. This recipe is high in protein, gluten-free, and relatively low in carbs.
- Quick and easy. Don’t get thrown away by how fancy it looks. It is easy to assemble and quick to cook.
- Elegant. Sure baked, seared, grilled, or instant-pot cooked chicken breasts are delicious, but like stuffed chicken breast, this bacon wrapped version is just that much fancier!
Ingredients Needed
You can make this delicious recipe with common and affordable ingredients from your kitchen pantry. Here’s a complete list of what you’ll need:
- Chicken breast. Pick even-sized boneless chicken filets from the market for uniform cooking.
- Bacon. Any thin-cut bacon will do. You’ll need roughly two slices to wrap one chicken breast.
- Salt and pepper. To season the chicken.
- Garlic and onion powder. To flavor the chicken.
- Olive oil and butter. To pan-sear the bacon-wrapped chicken.
- Brown sugar. For caramelization of the beef. I prefer brown sugar, but you can substitute it with maple syrup.
- Parsley. Chop fresh parsley to garnish and serve.
How to make bacon-wrapped chicken
Here’s a step-by-step recipe to make the juiciest and the most flavorful bacon-wrapped chicken at home.
- Season the chicken. Dry the chicken breast and season them with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
- Wrap ‘em up. Wrap each chicken breast fillet with two slices of bacon. Press the chicken gently with the seam side down.
- Cook the chicken. Pan-sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar, transfer the skillet to a preheated oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180C/350F.
- Broil and serve. Finish the cook on the broiler mode for 4 minutes to make the bacon extra crispy. Rest, garnish, and serve.
What to serve with this dish
Pair this chicken with roasted vegetables like potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and beans.
When entertaining, serve it next to a 7-layer or pasta salad, chili, and with a delicious dipping sauce like honey mustard or katsu.
Tips to make the best bacon wrapped chicken breast recipe
- Use thin bacon strips. Use broad but thin bacon strips so that they cook quickly, crisp up nicely, and don’t interfere with the cooking of the chicken. You can also try using turkey bacon.
- Don’t forget to broil. Broiling helps to achieve the perfect caramelization of the sugar layer and allows the bacon to become super crispy.
- Brine the chicken. If you have time, brine or marinate the chicken before wrapping it with bacon.
- Don’t stretch the bacon. Stretching the bacon could lead to tears in the covering and could unravel during the cook. Also, avoid overlapping the bacon as much as possible, as a thick layer of bacon will interfere with the cooking of chicken and the crispiness of bacon.
Flavor and recipe variations
- Make tiny appetizers. Make mini versions of bacon-wrapped chicken with chicken wings or uniform chicken pieces to serve as hors d’oeuvres.
- Spice it up. Turn up the spice level by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika to the spice rub.
- Stuff the chicken breast. Take it up a notch by filling the chicken breast with cheese, spinach, or mushrooms and then wrapping it with bacon (like we do with stuffed pork chops or salmon!).
- Grill it. Get the perfect smoky flavor by grilling the bacon-wrapped chicken at 400F for 20-25 minutes.
Storage instructions
To store. Allow the chicken to cool before refrigerating it. When kept in an airtight container, it stays fresh for 3-5 days in the fridge.
To freeze. You can freeze the uncooked assembled chicken or the cooked chicken once it cools. Once frozen, you can enjoy it anytime within 2-3 months.
To reheat. Microwave the chicken for a few seconds to enjoy it hot. Alternatively, sear it in the skillet over medium heat.
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Skillet. The perfect tool for all your pan-searing and frying needs!
- Cast iron skillet. If you have one of these magnificent gadgets, char the chicken to perfection with it!
More tasty chicken recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
The best way to confirm whether the chicken is cooked is by sticking a meat thermometer into it. When the internal temperature hits around 165F, you know your chicken is ready to eat.
You can make it with thighs, drumsticks, tenders, and chicken wings. Remember to adjust the cooking time based on the chicken cut.
Start with one end of the breast and wrap the bacon around. Once all the surface is covered, seal the loose end by tucking it under an existing bacon layer. You can also further secure it using toothpicks.
I haven’t tried it, but you can certainly try it! Air fry it at 400F for 10-15 minutes and flip the chicken midway through the cooking process.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts 6-8 ounces each
- 8 slices bacon thin cut
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Season the chicken breast fillets with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
- Wrap each chicken breast fillet with two strips of bacon. Start with one strip and then continue with the second strip. Let the chicken press down on the ends of the bacon.
- Add oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, seam-side down, and cook until the bacon is golden, around 3-4 minutes. Do not flip the chicken.
- Sprinkle the top of each chicken breast with a tablespoon of brown sugar. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked.
- Heat the broiler and broil the chicken for another 4 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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