Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken
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Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken is a simple recipe that everyone will love. Chicken is rubbed with brown sugar and seasonings, wrapped in bacon and baked to golden crispy perfection! So juicy and flavorful you’ll want to make it again and again.
This bacon-wrapped chicken is a low carb meal that’s guaranteed to be a hit in your home. It’s a family favorite along with Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Chicken with Potatoes and Green Beans. And besides, isn’t everything better with bacon!?
The bacon keeps the chicken juicy and adds flavor to make a delicious homestyle meal that’s elegant enough for a party. Even picky eaters love the tender chicken with the sweet and smoky bacon flavors.
The best part? You can do most of the prep work ahead of time, and make it look like you spent hours preparing! Also try Slow Cooker Bacon Wrapped Chicken for a crock pot variation.
How to Make Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Bacon wrapped chicken is an easy recipe with 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Make the Brown Sugar Mixture: Combine brown sugar, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Then rub it all over the chicken breasts.
Step 2: Wrap the Chicken with Bacon: Wrap each chicken breast with 2-4 strips of bacon. The amount of bacon depends on the size of the chicken breasts and the length of the bacon slices. Try to start and finish seam-side down with each piece to secure the bacon.
Step 3: Bake at 375°F: Place the bacon wrapped chicken into a 13×9 inch baking dish lined with a wire rack or a broiler pan. Bake in the middle of a 375°F oven for about 25 minutes. Turn on the convection/forced air if available. During baking spoon or baste the chicken with juices 2-3 times and rotate the pan for even cooking.
That’s it! If the bacon is not fully caramelized, you can put it under the broiler for a few minutes to finish it off. You can find more information on How Long to Bake Chicken here.
Tips and Secrets for Making Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- If you have a forced air convection oven, definitely use it to cook the bacon as evenly as possible.
- Baste your bacon with drippings regularly in the oven for the best look and extra flavor.
- To get extra-crispy bacon, you can put it under the broiler for a few minutes after baking. Just monitor carefully to avoid burning.
- For an overall healthier option use natural nitrate-free bacon that’s low sodium and sugar, or use turkey bacon for a lower fat option.
- You can use reduced-sodium bacon for a less salty dish.
Make Ahead Tips
- You can make bacon wrapped chicken up to 1-3 days ahead of time if you store it in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place in a covered skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- You can also freeze the cooked dish for up to one month in an airtight container. Thaw completely and reheat in a skillet.
- It’s possible to refrigerate the uncooked wrapped chicken for a day in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Just make sure the outside of your container is clean to avoid contamination.
How to Serve Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- Bacon wrapped chicken goes well with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable such as broccoli. You can also serve it with just a salad for a low carb meal.
- Bacon wrapped chicken also makes an elegant main dish for a dinner party. As an added benefit, your kitchen will smell so good while it’s cooking!
- If you’re looking for an appetizer idea, you can make bacon wrapped chicken with chicken tenders as some amazing finger food for game day and other parties.
Ingredients for Making the Best Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this recipe. Bone-in chicken breasts are a nice flavorful budget-friendly option, although they are a bit trickier to eat.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs are an even juicier alternative although smaller in size so count on about 8 chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Thick-cut bacon (1/8”) will hold together the best during baking. If you can’t find it, then use a quality regular bacon.
Equipment for Making the Best Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- I used a simple 13×9 inch baking dish with a 10×8 wire rack underneath. The wire rack keeps the meat out of the liquid in the pan, allowing the bacon to get crispy underneath.
- A large nylon cutting board is a great surface for wrapping the chicken and the most hygienic for easy cleanup.
- Kitchen tongs like these ones are helpful for handling the bacon wrapped chicken after cooking.
Watch How to Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken:
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Video Recipe)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 12 oz bacon, about 12 slices
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside a 13x9 inch baking pan or a broiler pan.
- In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
- Lay the chicken breasts on a work surface, and rub 1-2 tbsp of brown sugar onto each.
- Wrap each chicken breast with 2-3 bacon slices with slight overlap, starting and finishing on the bottom of the breast to secure if possible.
- Place into prepared pan and sprinkle any remaining brown sugar mixture on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, brushing with the juices every 10 minutes and rotating the pan for even browning.
- Optional: after baking, place under the broiler (about 6 inches) for 2-3 minutes to crispen. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Please read our nutrition disclaimer.
More baked chicken recipes:
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The whole house smelled so appetizing while this was roasting! Enormous return for little effort. My chicken pieces were even half frozen still when I put them in, I just cooked them about 10 minutes longer. Thanks for this winner recipe
Hi Elizabeth, Wonderful to hear and congrats on a culinary success! Thanks for your feedback.
These were delicious!! My husband RAVED, about them, saying these are definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
I made this recipe for the first time tonight. I used 6 chicken breasts so I doubled the brown sugar mixture. I cooked it on 350° for one hour and 15 minutes (the chicken pieces were thick). I did not baste every 10 minutes. I also made extra brown sugar mixture, which I spread on each piece. I also did not broil it. Turned out perfect! I’ll definitely make this again!
Hi Melanie, Thanks so much for your feedback and that’s great to hear!
This was awesome and easy! Thanks!
Hi Janet, Thanks for your comment and great to hear!
So delicious I made it yesterday night. Thanks!
I made this tonight. Was absolutely delicious!
Hi Nora, Thanks for letting me know, so happy to hear that! 🙂
Looks so good and delicious. Im going to make it.
Thanks Luz and hope you enjoyed it!