Bacon Wrapped Chicken – Generously-flavored boneless and skinless chicken thighs wrapped around bacon and baked to perfection. A perfect quick and easy chicken dinner that doubles up as an appetizer, too.
Merry Christmas, y’all! My son went to bed late last night trying to talk us into staying up late tonight so he can take a quick peek on Santa. And perhaps you know by now what our answer was.
While some of you might be trying to cram your cookie baking from three days into one day (I feel you, learned it the hard way), I’m sharing today a quick dinner fix that could also double up as a party appetizer.
We all know how bacon makes everything better. Agreed? For today’s recipe, this humble chicken dish is taken to the next level with nothing but bacon hugging every inch of it. There are no words to best describe this simple yet versatile dish. But I can guarantee you that your family will be begging for seconds or even thirds.
How do you cook bacon wrapped chicken?
Juicy, tender and outrageously delicious – how can you say NO to these? You probably can’t. Even if bacon has the reputation to make anything flavorful and pleasing to the palate, I decided to spice up the chicken meat as well, just enough to complement the bacon flavor.
This bacon wrapped chicken is seriously crazy easy to prepare with only 4 steps to follow:
- Mix the spices in a bowl.
- Rub spices all over the chicken meat
- Then wrap it all around with bacon
- And bake to perfection
That’s about it! So if you’re worried that you’re too pressed with time for some fancy Christmas dinner, just take it easy ’cause this dish here is the perfect solution. You can serve it with roasted veggies or mashed potatoes, with salads or serve as appetizers while you’re working on the glazed ham to fully cook through.
It is important to note too, that any type of chicken cut is okay for this recipe as long as they’re cut in uniform sizes for an even cooking. But I do prefer chicken thighs as it is much juicier and tastier than any other cut. You also need to avoid using thick cut bacon as they take longer to cook.
How do you keep bacon wrapped around the chicken?
Although you can simply tuck the end part of the bacon underneath the chicken to seal it off, I prefer to use a toothpick to hold it in place and lock it off neatly. I’ve had bad experience by just tucking it underneath, so a toothpick won’t hurt. Anyways, you can easily discard it once it’s cooked through.
How long to cook chicken wrapped in bacon?
My bacon wrapped chicken recipe calls for baking it at 30-35 minutes or when internal temperature reaches at 165°F. It also depends on the size of your chicken thighs. Using larger and thicker cuts take longer to cook. The best way to tell if your chicken is fully cooked is by slicing it open. If it’s all white in the middle, then it’s done. Or you can stick a thermometer in the middle of the chicken and if it reads 165°F or 75°C, then it’s all set.
If you don’t have all of those spices on hand, you can season the chicken with your choice of seasoning. This bacon wrapped chicken is a forgiving dish; so don’t stress it that much. It’s meant to be made easily. You may pair it with salad, mashed potatoes and roasted veggies or serve it as appetizers along with this spinach dip. A winning recipe with a little effort!
Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas!
Tips and Notes:
- For extra crispy bacon, you can broil it for an additional 1-2 minutes. Rotate the chicken to get a good even crust.
- Use the same size of chicken cut for even cooking. And make sure to use those thin slices kind of bacon.
- You may use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs, but I prefer the latter as it is juicier.
- For an easier preparation, simply secure the bacon wrapped chicken with wooden picks.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken – Generously-flavored boneless and skinless chicken thighs wrapped around with bacon and baked to perfection. A perfect quick and easy chicken dinner that doubles up as an appetizer, too.
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 10 slices bacon
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (homemade here)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon white or black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons oil
- chopped parsley to garnish
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Preheat oven to 400°F
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Line a baking pan with parchment or foil paper; Set aside.
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If chicken thighs are too large you may cut in half or threes, if making party appetizer. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl mix together; Italian seasoning , paprika , white pepper, garlic , onion powder, cayenne pepper and oil.
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Marinate the chicken with spice mix. Take about 1-2 slices of bacon and wrap it around the middle of each chicken piece tuck the ends underneath or use a toothpick. Lay the wrapped chicken on prepared baking sheet with the bacon seam-side down. Repeat with all the chicken thighs.
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Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30-35 minutes, or when chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
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Serve as appetizers or pairs so well with salad and dressing.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with parchment or foil paper; Set aside. If chicken thighs are too large, you may cut in half or thirds, if making party appetizer. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix together: Italian seasoning , paprika, white pepper, garlic , onion powder, cayenne pepper and oil. Marinate the chicken with spice mix.
Take about 1-2 slices of bacon and wrap it around the middle of each chicken piece tuck the ends underneath or use a toothpick.
Lay the wrapped chicken on prepared baking sheet with the bacon seam-side down. Repeat with all the chicken thighs. Bake until chicken is cooked through , about 30-35 minutes, or when chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve as appetizers or pairs so well with salad and dressing.
Turned out wonderful. It was a big hit.Thanks for the recipe