Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Carefully cut into 8 individual tenders, each weighing approximately 2 oz. Ensuring uniform size is key for even cooking, so take a moment to trim them properly.
• 8 slices center cut bacon: Center cut bacon is typically leaner and crisps up beautifully, offering that irresistible savory crunch without excessive grease. It wraps around the chicken perfectly.
• 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce: Choose your favorite! For a healthier option, we recommend a low-carb or low-sugar variety like Stubb’s Original, which delivers robust flavor without unnecessary additives.
• 4 tsp brown sugar: This essential ingredient adds a touch of molasses-rich sweetness and plays a crucial role in creating a beautiful, caramelized crust on both the bacon and chicken during baking.
• 1 tsp chili powder: Providing a subtle warmth and a delightful earthy depth, chili powder perfectly balances the sweetness of the brown sugar and the tang of the barbecue sauce, elevating the overall flavor profile.

Instructions

1. Prepare your oven and baking sheet: Begin by pre-heating your oven to a steady 350°F (175°C). Line a standard-sized baking sheet with aluminum foil for effortless cleanup – trust us, you’ll appreciate this later! Then, place a wire cooking rack directly on top of the foil-lined sheet. This setup is crucial as it allows heat and air to circulate evenly around the tenders, ensuring crispy bacon and perfectly cooked chicken.
2. Wrap and generously sauce the chicken: Take each individual chicken tender and firmly wrap it with a single slice of center-cut bacon, ensuring the bacon covers the chicken as much as possible. Use a pastry brush to generously coat all sides of each bacon-wrapped tender with your chosen barbecue sauce. Place the coated tenders in a single layer on the wire rack on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each for optimal airflow.
3. Season, bake, and develop flavor: In a small, separate dish, combine the brown sugar and chili powder. Stir these two ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed, creating a sweet and subtly spicy rub. Evenly sprinkle this flavorful mixture over all the barbecue-sauced chicken tenders on the rack. Transfer the baking sheet to the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. During this initial bake, the chicken will cook through, and the bacon will begin to render its fat and crisp up, melding all the wonderful flavors.
4. Broil for ultimate crispiness: After 30 minutes, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Now, it’s time for the magic crisping step! Turn on your oven’s broiler setting. It’s important to adjust your oven rack to the appropriate position – typically toward the top, about 6 inches from the broiler heating element, to prevent burning while ensuring maximum crispness. Return the tenders to the oven and broil for approximately 2 minutes. Watch them closely during this step, as broilers vary in intensity and the tenders can go from perfectly golden and crispy to burnt in a matter of seconds. Broil until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispness and the glaze is bubbly and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Chef’s Notes & Tips for Perfection

These Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are versatile and delicious, but a few expert tips can elevate them from great to absolutely outstanding. Here’s how to ensure success every time:

• Bacon Choice Matters: While center cut bacon is recommended for its leanness and ability to crisp up well, you can certainly use regular cut bacon if that’s what you have. If opting for thicker-cut bacon, be aware that it might require an extra minute or two under the broiler to achieve that desirable crispy texture. Always wrap it snugly around the chicken.
• Barbecue Sauce Customization: Don’t be afraid to experiment with your barbecue sauce! A spicy sriracha BBQ, a smoky chipotle, a sweet honey BBQ, or even a tangy Carolina-style sauce can all work wonders. Adjust the amount of brown sugar and chili powder based on the sweetness and spice level of your chosen sauce to maintain balance.
• Adjusting Spice Level: For those who love a bit more heat, feel free to increase the amount of chili powder, or add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the brown sugar mixture. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can simply omit the chili powder altogether, letting the barbecue sauce shine.
• Uniform Chicken Tenders: For the most even cooking, try to ensure your chicken tenders are roughly the same size and thickness. If you’re cutting them from larger chicken breasts, aim for pieces that are about 2 ounces each. If they are particularly thick, a quick pound with a meat mallet can help them cook more evenly.
• The Importance of the Wire Rack: Do not skip baking these tenders on a wire rack placed over a foil-lined baking sheet. This setup is crucial for several reasons: it allows excess bacon fat to drip away, prevents the tenders from sitting in rendered fat, and promotes air circulation, which is essential for achieving perfectly crispy bacon all around each tender.
• Broiler Vigilance is Key: The broiler works incredibly fast! It can be your best friend for crisping or your worst enemy for burning. Stay by your oven and check the tenders frequently (every 30 seconds to a minute) during the broiling step. They can go from perfectly golden and crispy to charred in a matter of seconds.
• Ensuring Food Safety: For complete peace of mind, always ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (avoiding the bacon) to verify doneness.

What to Serve With Your Delicious Tenders

These flavorful Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are incredibly versatile and pair beautifully with a wide variety of side dishes. Whether you’re looking for something light and fresh or hearty and comforting, here are some fantastic suggestions:

• Crisp Green Salad: A light, fresh green salad with a zesty vinaigrette dressing provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the chicken and bacon.
• Roasted Vegetables: Complement the flavors with oven-roasted asparagus, broccoli florets, sweet potato wedges, or bell peppers. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and a slight char.
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Mash: For a comforting and classic pairing, serve with a dollop of creamy mashed potatoes. For a lighter, low-carb alternative, cauliflower mash is an excellent choice.
• Fluffy Rice or Quinoa: A simple side of steamed white or brown rice, or a protein-rich quinoa salad, can help soak up any delicious barbecue glaze.
• Fresh Corn on the Cob: Sweet corn on the cob (especially when in season) or a simple corn salad adds a delightful pop of sweetness and texture.
• Homemade Coleslaw: A creamy or vinegar-based coleslaw offers a cool, crunchy, and tangy element that perfectly balances the smoky flavors.
• Southern-Style Cornbread: For a truly authentic American comfort food experience, serve alongside warm, fluffy cornbread.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Got leftovers? Lucky you! These Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are still delicious the next day. Here’s how to store and reheat them to maintain their quality:

• Storage: Allow the cooked tenders to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Reheating in the Oven (Recommended): To best preserve the crispy bacon texture, reheating in the oven is ideal. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the tenders on a baking sheet (a wire rack isn’t strictly necessary here but can help if you want maximum crispness). Heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are thoroughly heated through and the bacon has re-crisped to your liking.
• Avoid the Microwave: While convenient, reheating these tenders in the microwave is not recommended if you want to keep the bacon crispy. The microwave tends to make bacon soft and chewy. If time is critical, a quick zap might work, but expect a change in texture.

Nutrition Information & Weight Watchers Details

Enjoy these delicious tenders guilt-free! Here’s a breakdown of their estimated nutritional value and Weight Watchers points, calculated for one tender (approximately 2 oz cooked chicken with bacon and glaze). This recipe offers a fantastic way to enjoy a savory, satisfying meal while staying on track with your health goals.

Weight Watchers Points (as of original publication and calculation):

• WW Points per tender: 1 SP (SmartPoints calculated using the recipe builder on WeightWatchers.com at the time of publication)
• MyWW SmartPoints per (1 tender) serving (prior to latest program updates):
  • Green Plan: 2 SmartPoints
  • Blue Plan: 1 SmartPoint
  • Purple Plan: 1 SmartPoint
• Weight Watchers Points Plus: 3 per tender (calculated using a Weight Watchers brand PointsPlus calculator and the nutrition information)

Please note: Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on common ingredient values and typical portion sizes. For the most accurate and up-to-date WW Points, it is highly recommended to use the official Weight Watchers app or site’s recipe builder tool, as point systems and individual ingredient values can change over time. Your choice of specific barbecue sauce brand and bacon type can also slightly alter these values.

To view your current WW Points for this recipe and track it directly in the WW app or site, click here!

Author: Emily Bites

Course: Main Course, Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American

This fantastic recipe was originally adapted from a delightful preparation by Plain Chicken, inspiring our own flavorful twist.