Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders (Print version)

Crispy bacon-wrapped chicken tenders with a sweet brown sugar coating, perfect for quick weeknight meals.

# What you'll 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

# Method:

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 light brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Wrap each chicken tender with a half-slice of bacon, overlapping slightly to cover the chicken. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
05 - Roll each bacon-wrapped tender in the brown sugar mixture, pressing gently to ensure all sides are evenly coated.
06 - Place tenders on the wire rack with space between each piece to allow proper air circulation and even cooking.
07 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through. Cook until bacon is crispy and chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove any toothpicks used during preparation.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The combination of crispy bacon and caramelized sugar creates an irresistible sweet and salty crust
  • These come together in under 45 minutes but taste like they took all day
  • Even picky eaters who claim they do not like sweet sauces ask for seconds
02 -
  • Sugar burns quickly under high heat. If you add broiler time at the end, watch the pan like a hawk.
  • Placing the rack over a lined baking sheet saves you from scrubbing hardened sugar off your pan later.
  • The toothpicks can be tricky to spot. Use colorful ones or count them to make sure none are left behind.
03 -
  • Line your baking sheet with foil before placing the rack. The sugar drippings harden like candy and are nearly impossible to scrape off a bare pan.
  • If the bacon is not crisping enough, remove the chicken from the wire rack and place directly on the baking sheet for the last five minutes.

Go back