Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Juicy chicken wrapped in smoky bacon with a caramelized brown sugar coating for sweet and savory flavor.

# 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 (optional)

→ Bacon

08 - 8 slices bacon, cut in half

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack on top for even cooking and drainage.
02 - Pat chicken tenders completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - In a shallow bowl, combine light brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper if using. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute spices.
04 - Wrap each chicken tender with a half-slice of bacon, ensuring slight overlap to secure the wrap. Insert a toothpick through the overlap if needed to hold bacon in place during cooking.
05 - Roll each bacon-wrapped tender in the brown sugar spice mixture, pressing gently to adhere coating to all sides.
06 - Place coated tenders on the prepared wire rack, spacing evenly to allow proper air circulation and promote even crisping.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. Cook until bacon is crispy and chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Remove toothpicks before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The brown sugar creates a gorgeous caramelized glaze that people cannot stop talking about
  • Everything cooks on one sheet pan making cleanup surprisingly simple
02 -
  • That brown sugar can go from perfect to burned in seconds so watch closely during the last few minutes
  • The wire rack is not optional here it keeps the bacon from sitting in its own grease and getting soggy
03 -
  • Thin cut bacon works better than thick cut here because it crisps up faster and wraps more easily
  • If the sugar coating seems thick it probably is so pat off any excess before baking to prevent scorching

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