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If you’re not new to Wholesome Yum, you probably already know how much I love recipes with just a few ingredients. Even better when they are common ingredients that you often have in your fridge. This oven baked bacon wrapped chicken tenders recipe requires just three of them! Chicken, bacon, and cheese are all you need. Easy and simple!
How to Make Chicken Wrapped in Bacon With Cheese
If you ask me, this cheesy version is the best way to cook chicken wrapped in bacon. Sure, you could make bacon wrapped chicken tenders without the cheese, but try this way and you’ll see why I prefer it. The melt-y cheese oozing out is just an amazing combo with the chicken and bacon.
I used sharp cheddar cheese, since it pairs so well with those flavors. And – who am I kidding? – it’s partly because it’s what I had around. I’m pretty sure any kind of cheese you like will work just fine. Hard cheeses work best, though.
Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders for Meal Prep
I’m always looking for low carb chicken recipes I can make ahead. (My whole family loves chicken!) And, with two kids and two jobs, I’m often too busy or tired on weeknights to spend much time or effort on dinner.
That’s one of the reasons I love to make these easy bacon wrapped chicken tenders. You can easily prepare them in advance! Usually I prep the chicken wrapped in bacon on the weekend, and store it covered in a pan in the fridge. Then, I can just stick the pan in the oven right before dinner time.
I don’t recommend baking the tenders ahead of time, if you can avoid it. Just like any other chicken recipe, they will be more dry after reheating. That being said, I’ve happily enjoyed chicken wrapped in bacon as leftovers on multiple occasions. With this recipe, it’s still delicious! The cheese and bacon do help a lot when it comes to locking in moisture.
Even if you didn’t plan ahead, bacon wrapped chicken tenders are crazy easy to make and don’t take very long. They are ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish! That makes them perfect for a quick weeknight meal, but they look nice enough for serving for company, too.
How Long To Bake Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Just like my three-step Italian baked chicken breast recipe, I baked these bacon wrapped chicken tenders in the oven for a short time, at a high temperature. It will vary by oven, but using this method mine took 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t have to do it that way – there really isn’t a wrong level of heat with this easy recipe. But, they will take longer if you use a lower temperature.
How long to bake bacon wrapped chicken will actually depend on two factors: the thickness of the chicken and the oven temperature. I like everything faster when possible, so I opted for the route of high temp and less time. You may still need to adjust the time a bit based on the thickness, though.
By the way, you can actually make this recipe in two ways. You can do bacon wrapped chicken tenders or simply bacon wrapped chicken breast. I had tenders around, so that’s what I made. Either one will work great. I’m sure you could even use chicken thighs, but those may need a slightly longer time in the oven. Do you have a preference – chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs?
Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders Recipe – 3 Ingredients:
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- 1 lb Chicken breast tenderloins (about 8 pieces)
- 8 slices Bacon
- 4 slices Cheddar cheese (cut in half)
- Fill a large bowl with warm water and a couple tablespoons sea salt. Add the chicken breast tenderloins (making sure the water covers them). Set aside to brine for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil (greased lightly) or parchment paper.
- Remove the chicken from the water and pat dry. Place a piece of cheese over each piece of chicken. Wrap the two together in a slice of bacon. Place on the baking sheet, with the cheese side facing up. Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese, and bacon.
- Bake for about 13-16 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the bacon.
Net carbs per serving (2 tenders): 0.9g
You'll love my low carb cookbook & meal plans!
- LOW CARB MEAL PLANNING STARTER KIT: 7-day low carb meal plan, printable templates, shopping list, recipes, and more!
- 30 DINNERS IN 30 MINUTES COOKBOOK: 30 easy low carb recipes, all under 30 minutes to make and 10 ingredients or less!
Want more low carb, gluten-free chicken recipes? Try these:
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