Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders (Printer-friendly)

Crispy bacon-wrapped chicken with a caramelized brown sugar coating delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors in every bite.

# What you'll need:

01 - 1 lb chicken tenders

02 - 1/2 tsp salt

03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

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)

08 - 8 slices bacon, cut in half

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 evenly with salt and black pepper.

03 - In a shallow bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper if using.

04 - Wrap each chicken tender with a half-slice of bacon, overlapping slightly. Secure with a toothpick if needed.

05 - Roll each bacon-wrapped tender in the brown sugar mixture, pressing gently to coat all sides thoroughly.

06 - Place tenders on the wire rack with space between them to allow proper air circulation.

07 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until bacon is crispy and chicken reaches 165°F internally.

08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks if used.

01 -

The bacon keeps the chicken incredibly moist while the sugar creates this gorgeous candy-like glaze
Everything cooks on one sheet pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
These work as dinner, party food, or even cold leftovers the next morning

02 -

The wire rack is non-negotiable here because without it the bacon ends up swimming in grease and never gets properly crispy
That sugar can go from perfect to burned in about 60 seconds under the broiler, so stand there watching if you add that final caramelization step

03 -

Line your baking sheet with foil underneath the parchment for even easier cleanup since that sugar gets stubborn once it cools
Wrap the bacon in the same direction each time so the tenders look uniform and professional