Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders (Print Version)
Crispy bacon-wrapped chicken tenders with a sweet brown sugar coating, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 lb chicken tenders
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Coating
04 - 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
→ Bacon
08 - 8 slices bacon, cut in half
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - In a shallow bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
04 - Wrap each chicken tender with a half-slice of bacon, overlapping slightly to secure. Insert a toothpick through the bacon and chicken if needed to hold in place.
05 - Roll each bacon-wrapped tender in the brown sugar mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the coating to all sides.
06 - Place coated tenders on the prepared wire rack, spacing evenly to allow proper air circulation and even cooking.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Continue until bacon is crispy and chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The brown sugar creates this incredible candy-like glaze that balances perfectly with salty bacon
- They come together in under 45 minutes but taste like you spent all day cooking
02 -
- A wire rack is absolutely necessary or youll end up with soggy bottoms where the bacon fat pools
- The sugar mixture will seem thick but pressing it firmly helps it adhere during baking
03 -
- Room temperature chicken wraps more easily and cooks more evenly
- The internal temperature matters more than the timer so use that meat thermometer