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GET IT NOWAnything is better wrapped in bacon, don’t you think? Sure, I’ve done bacon wrapped chicken breasts, but my bacon wrapped chicken tenders from way back in 2017 take it up a notch with melty, gooey cheese inside! I used to wrap the cheese slices straight from the fridge, but the problem was, too much cheese ended up melting onto the pan. So recently, I’ve revamped the method to improve it. Make them with me and see the difference!
Why You Need My Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Truly crispy bacon – One of the challenges of bacon wrapped anything is ensuring that the bacon crisps up by the time the food inside is cooked. So for these bacon wrapped chicken tenders, I’ve got an easy trick to ensure that it turns out crispy!
- Melty cheese and tangy BBQ sauce – You can definitely make these tenders without these add-ins, but I think the cheese and BBQ sauce tucked underneath the bacon makes them special. Plus, they help keep the chicken extra juicy!
- Perfect for any occasion – My bacon wrapped chicken tenders are always a crowd-pleaser, whether it’s a family dinner or a get-together. Everyone loves them… especially the kids!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken tenders wrapped in bacon, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Tenderloins – Get packs with similar sized pieces, so they cook evenly. I prefer tenderloins because they get extra juicy and tender, but you can also just cut chicken breasts into strips.
- Bacon – Choose regular bacon (I prefer mine with no added sugar or nitrites), not thick-cut, which takes too long to crisp up.
- Cheese – I went with aged sharp cheddar cheese, because it pairs so well with the flavors, and let’s real, it’s what I had on hand. But feel free to use any hard cheese you love (avoid softer cheeses).
- Brining Liquid – You’ll need cool water and sea salt. This helps tenderize the chicken and keep it juicy, but see my tips below for other options.
- Spices – Garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Feel free to mix it up with your favorite spices, or use my poultry seasoning instead.
- BBQ Sauce – This is optional, but I got this idea from a reader comment and it’s amazing! I’ve made these bacon wrapped chicken tenders both with and without my sugar free BBQ sauce (feel free to use your favorite kind) underneath the cheese, and both are delicious in their own ways.
Sweet & spicy variation:
Instead of BBQ sauce, brush maple syrup or sprinkle with my Besti brown sweetener over the bacon after wrapping, along with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or chili powder. It’ll caramelize beautifully and add a nice sweet kick!
How To Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Freeze the cheese. Place the cheese pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Keep frozen until you’re ready to use them.
- Brine the chicken. Dissolve salt in a large bowl of water and submerging the tenderloins. Preheat your oven while the chicken brines.
- Partially cook the bacon. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet with a rack in a single layer. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the bacon is partially cooked, but still very pliable. Set aside.
- Season the chicken. Remove the chicken from the water and pat dry. Season both sides with a mixture of garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
- Wrap the chicken tenders in bacon. Brush each chicken tenderloin with BBQ sauce, if you’re using it. Working quickly, add a piece of frozen cheese on top, then wrap with bacon. Place on a baking sheet, cheese and sauce side up, and tuck the bacon ends underneath.
- Pop in the oven. Just like my healthy chicken breast recipe, I bake bacon wrapped chicken tenders in the oven for a short time, at a high temperature, to keep them juicy. They are done when the bacon is crispy and the inside is cooked through — see my tips below.
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t cut the cheese too thin. I slice a standard block crosswise, making pieces about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/4 inch thick. This size fits perfectly over the chicken tenders. Thin slices melt too fast and leak out.
- You only need to brine the chicken while cooking the bacon, but you can skip it if you like. Just season with 3/4 teaspoon of salt instead. Brining makes it juicier and doesn’t add extra time, though.
- Be careful not to crisp the bacon in the initial step. Pre-baking helps it get crispy (since it needs more time than chicken tenderloins), but if you bake it for too long, it won’t be flexible enough to wrap around the chicken. If it wraps but doesn’t stay wrapped, you can secure the ends with toothpicks.
- Take the cheese out of the freezer just before wrapping and work quickly. I mean really fast! If the cheese thaws too much, it’ll ooze out in the oven. Keeping it partially frozen helps it stay inside.
- Use a baking sheet with a rack. This is my favorite set. It’s completely nonstick and crisps the bacon perfectly, but even more important, the cheese fares better with it due to more even heating. I tried this without a rack, and it does work, but more of the cheese leaks out and the bacon comes out less crispy.
- The harder your cheese, the better. They won’t melt as fast. Aged sharp cheddar works great, and much better than softer cheddars.
- What if the cheese oozes out anyway? It’s totally fine. I made these bacon wrapped chicken tenders for years with the cheese coming out, and they were still delicious, even if less pretty.
- Use a meat thermometer. Double check that your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F to ensure it’s perfectly cooked. I love this thermometer because it beeps when it hits the right temp.
- For extra crispy bacon, place the tenders under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning. The cheese might melt more, though.
- Can you cook them in the air fryer? Yes! The time is the same as my air fryer chicken tenders.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Whip up my BBQ chicken salad with the leftovers!
- Meal prep: On weekends, I brine the chicken, partially cook the bacon, and freeze the cheese slices 24 hours in advance. Store the chicken and bacon in the fridge, and the cheese in the freezer, until you’re ready to bake.
- Reheat: Air frying at 350 degrees F is the best way to keep them extra crispy, but you can also use your oven.
- Freeze: After cooling, freeze the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I usually thaw chicken fully before reheating, for these bacon wrapped chicken tenders, I actually prefer to warm them from a half-thawed state, to keep more of the cheese inside.
Serving Ideas
You really just need some healthy side dishes and a dipping sauce to complete this delicious meal. Here are some ideas:
- Dipping Sauce – Enjoy your bacon wrapped chicken strips with extra BBQ sauce. If I skip the BBQ, I dip them in sugar-free honey mustard or my homemade ranch dressing.
- Fries & Potatoes – For a classic kid-friendly meal, you can’t go wrong with air fryer fries, but I also love healthier zucchini fries with marinara.
- Veggie Sides – Serve these tenders alongside fried brussels sprouts with bacon or my air fryer green beans. For a comforting side, try my cheesy zucchini casserole.
- Side Salad – You can’t go wrong with my fresh cucumber tomato salad, Caprese salad, or Greek salad.
More Bacon Wrapped Recipes
If you’re as crazy about bacon-wrapped food as I am, you’ll love these other tasty recipes:
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
My bacon wrapped chicken tenders are stuffed with cheddar cheese and tangy BBQ sauce, and crisped in the oven. So easy and flavorful!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Arrange the cheese pieces on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours, until solid. Keep frozen until right before using. (You can do this ahead and transfer to a zip lock bag once they are solid.)
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Set up an oven-safe rack fitted over a baking sheet (I use this set). (You can line the pan with foil before placing the rack if you like.)
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Fill a large bowl with water, add the salt, and stir to dissolve. Add the chicken tenderloins, making sure the water covers them. Set aside to brine.
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Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the bacon is partially cooked, but still very pliable. Set aside.
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Remove the chicken from the water and pat dry. Season both sides with garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
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Brush or spread the tops of the chicken tenderloins with BBQ sauce, about 1/2 tablespoon each. Remove the cheese from the freezer, and working quickly so that it doesn’t thaw, add a piece on each piece of chicken. Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece, and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the side that has cheese and BBQ sauce facing up, and tuck the ends of the bacon underneath.
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Bake for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. If you like, place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the bacon more.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2-3 bacon wrapped chicken tenders, or 1/4 of the entire recipe
- Tips & substitutions: See the details in the post above! I’ve got tips to ensure that the cheese doesn’t ooze out too much, the chicken turns out juicy, and the bacon gets crispy. Plus, you can make a sweet and spicy variation.
- Dipping ideas: Serve with more BBQ sauce, or if you omit it, try my sugar-free honey mustard or ranch.
- Store: 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Meal prep: Brine the chicken, pre-cook the bacon, and freeze the cheese the day before.
- Reheat: Air fryer or oven at 350 degrees F.
- Freeze: Up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw partially rather than fully before reheating, which keeps more of the cheese inside.
Nutrition info does not include the optional BBQ sauce. It will vary depending on the brand you use (or if you make my homemade BBQ sauce), too.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
125 Comments
Qwerty
0Chicken, bacon, cheese YUM! Throw them on a bun, wrap in a tortilla or pita, and you have a fantastic sandwich. Cooked on a rack and everything was wonderful.
Theresa
0I also used sharp cheddar that I had and that didn’t melt all over. Perfect!
Theresa
0I put in a broiling pan and the grease could drip. I added some seasoning before wrapping with bacon and took someone else idea of adding some bbq sauce, I used Buffalo Wild Wings honey bbq. AMAZING! Thank you!
Diana
0This turned out great! Yes some of the cheese leaked out, but that’s to be expected. I baked at 400° instead of 450, so I added about 10 minutes to the cooking time and broiled for just a minute at the end. I seasoned the chicken with Montreal seasoning (hubby’s favorite) next time I think I’ll add some bbq under the cheese and see how that turns out. Thank you for the recipe! ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these, Diana! I find that a lower temp does make the cheese leak out more, so you can try 450 next time. I’ve also adjusted the method a bit to help with this. Thank you so much for the BBQ sauce idea, I tried this and loved it, and it’s actually now an optional ingredient in the recipe.
Linda
0Can u do these in the air fryer??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, Yes, you could do that. The cooking time will be faster, about 2-3 minutes for the bacon and 7-8 minutes for the bacon wrapped chicken tenders.
Barbara
0These tenders were AWESOME. You were right on the aged/harder cheese. I did cut them a little thicker also. The kids loved them as I did. Thank you.
Shanea Wilson
0Made these for supper, they’re amazing. Only thing I did differently was I put some Killer Hogs A.P. rub on 1 side of the tenders before the cheese, was so good.
Eileen
0All the cheese melted out into the pan making a soupy mess. I’ll eat it. Can’t afford to throw food away. But I’ll never make it again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eileen, I’m sorry these tenders didn’t turn out as planned. I’ve added some tips to the post to help with this!
Susan
0These are okay but not something I’d make again. I did not put them under the broiler because a) I was using parchment paper under them and b) there were time constraints. For me, the flavor was nothing to write home about, and the bacon gives off a lot of grease that the cheese mostly melts into. I don’t think I would have liked these any better had I put them under the broiler.
Leia Gravett
0Boo! The cheese completely cooked out! How do you cook it where the cheese doesn’t cook out?!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Leia, I’m sorry to hear your chicken tenders didn’t work out. I’ve added some tips to the post that should help for next time!
Robin J
0Lots of people refuse to eat my keto recipes but these are a crowd pleaser every time! I’ve used both cheddar and mozzarella. Even with cheese melting on to the pan, you can scoop it on top. I used parchment paper which makes for quick cleanup. Brining the chicken is a great tip to keep the chicken moist. Super easy and delicious.
Dianne
0I’ve made this a few times now, once with cheese, once without, my husband and I both enjoy it. The cheese disappears, so I’ll skip that step. Still delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked these, Dianne! Yes, you can skip the cheese, but I’ve updated the post to help you keep it inside. 🙂
Chavela
0This was so easy and delicious, I’ll be making it again. Thank you for this great recipe!
Also use parchment paper. I didn’t have any smoke.
Kelli Slaughter
0I made this last night with broccoli cheddar soup. It was so good my boys loved it, and it was quick and simple. I will be making this chicken probably alot. I give it a 5 star
Linny
0Quick and easy and tasty! I added a small amount of Italian herb mix to the chicken. Next time I’m going to try a little pesto
The cheese did melt out in a puddle but they were on a baking tray so no issue.
Laura
0Great recipe! Easy and delicious! Bonus, my toddler loved it too!!
Karen M
0Made with frozen chicken tenders and bacon, no cheese and just light salt and pepper on chicken. 400′ in air fryer for about 16 minutes.
Fantastic!!!
Debbie
0Hi there! this looks amazing and I am wondering how long you would cook it in the air fryer? I’m new to my air fryer still and am not sure how to convert most recipes still. Thanks!
Karen M
0I just make 2 tenders frozen, no cheese with the bacon in the air fryer. 400′ for about 16 minutes. Just lightly salted with pepper. Delicious
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debbie, I have not tried making these in the air fryer, but it would probably work. I’d estimate 2-3 minutes for the bacon and then 7-8 minutes for the wrapped tenders.
Vicki
0Loved this. I used Costco chicken tenders and Costco pre-cooked bacon. Used thick sliced pre- sliced Cabot seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese, lactose free. Cooked 16 min at 450.
Turned out amazing.
Stefanie
0This was a hit with my kids! My picky non-chicken eater asked for seconds. I used a block of Tillamook Cheddar cheese instead of presliced cheese. By cutting a thicker slice I lost less cheese to the bottom of the pan. I also used thick cut bacon so needed to add 3-4 minutes to my cooking time for the bacon to crisp up. Will definitely make this again.
Carol
0We loved this recipe. I did also season the chicken tenders before I wrapped them. I also skewered the bacon with toothpicks. I did part of the cooking time at 400. I lost most of my cheese in the melting process, but the chicken was super moist from the brining and the cheese!!!
Dawn L
0I decided to try this with my oven and air fryer. I also ran out of bacon as I had a lot of tenders — 3 packages from Costco — 18 tenders, I think, so I gave prosciutto a go, as well.
I decided to try 2 types of flavors besides the original. The original was very good, and an Italian blend was really tasty, as well. I also tried a sate’ blend (all my spices are Penzey’s) but was disappointed in the flavor, because I love it on chicken any other way. That is just MHO. It wasn’t bad, it just came in last.
The tenders definitely need cheese as it adds moisture. The bacon adds moisture, as well but trying to get it crispy with the broiler can leave them cooked too long and dry, so you need to balance out the cooking time with the extra crisping of bacon, if you like it that way. I did turn them over in the middle and used greased racks as suggested. The nice thing about the prosciutto is that it is larger and therefore encases the chicken which keeps it very moist, and bonus: you don’t have to crisp it — it turned out just fine by Maya’s recipe. (I used 1 sheet of prosciutto per tender.)
I did try one tender with prosciutto only, but it was dry…however, it was little by comparison so I may have just overcooked it. If I do plain ones like this, I would brine them longer and I would do an herb butter rub before encasing it in prosciutto…kind of like an inside-out Cordon Blu..still good for keto or carnivore diets.
Overall, I did this after 8 hrs. of work so it is a time-saver meal. I think kids could put this together with supervision. I can also see sticking these in a lettuce or low-carb wrap for a leftover lunch the next day. However, from looking at my pans…my family is not going to leave any leftovers!
Kimberly Fuentes
0This page has soooo many ads in it that I could barely scroll through to read the directions , and each time I closed one ad I would scroll down and another would pop up. Thought I’d take the time to let you know so that you can improve your site cause I don’t want anyone to experience the annoyance I just went through.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kimberly, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Mary
0This took so long (3x the time) that my lunch date had to skip lunch since they had a meeting already scheduled 🙁
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mary, I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Did you make this recipe with chicken tenders? The chicken should not have taken that long to cook through unless it was frozen.
Mayra
0I made it just as the recipe is and its the best! Better than fat head dough. Tfs!!
C
0So, this didn’t work and we followed the recipe exactly. We wound up with a tray full of melted cheese and bacon that wasn’t as well done as we’d like on the underneath. I kind of suspected that this is what would happen- I mean cheese doesn’t stay on one place when you melt it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m sorry your chicken didn’t turn out like you expected. I’ve updated the post to add some tips for next time!
Carla
0My tenders were bigger than in the video and took a little longer to cook and most of the cheese had melted and was on the parchment paper.
Judith
0I so agree. She could have asked what she did wrong. To insult you was inappropriate and apparently an inexperienced cook. Maybe her oven needs to be calibrated. Or her watch. The rest of the 99.99% readers appreciate your wisdom and are grateful. Thanks ever. Keep sharing!! Yummy
Angela Little
0I am trying it tonight, thanks
Sam
0Well, the slices of cheese melted ALL OVER!! Hope it’s going to at least taste good.
Allison
0Soo good! Half my family doesn’t like chicken but they love his recipe!
Selma Colmant
0Can this recipe be frozen? and how best to defrost?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Selma, Sure, you can freeze these after baking. When you are ready to eat them, let them partially thaw first, then re-heat in an oven or air fryer.
Julissa
0So far it’s been very messy in a gas stove. I’ve had to change the temp up and down to stop it from smoking.
Courtney Yates
0Hi Maya, thank you for sharing your recipes. We’ve tried many and they are great! I have a question on what is the best method for cooking this recipe to ensure chicken is moist and bacon is cooked through on both sides with some crisp. Is there a particular pan that works better vs. others? Should we use a wire rack with pan underneath or just a standard pan and flip half-way through? We’re finding the chicken is done cooking at 13 min but the bacon still needs more time.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Courtney, the recipe video can give you a better visual. A wire rack is a good idea, but you also need to make sure your bacon isn’t too thick (or if it is, you need to cook it partially before wrapping the chicken).
Valerie
0Why do you soak the chicken in brine? Your recipes look amazing! Thanks!
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Valerie. Soaking the chicken in a brine will give the chicken more flavor.
Alice
0What temperature?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Alice! This recipe is cooked at 450 degrees F.
Donna
0I made them just like you said and the cheese ran out. How do you prevent that? I wrapped the bacon completely around the chicken and cheese.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Donna. I’m sorry to hear that. Make sure you place the chicken cheese side up. There is a video on the post that will show you tips on how to make them. I hope this helps.
John de Vries
0I have a convection oven and set the temperature to 375. No problem with smoke!
Kristen
0I’m about to make these for lunch! Quick question, what’s the easiest and quickest way to go about it if you’re starting with frozen chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kristen, Just thaw the chicken first. If you’re thawing right before cooking, you can do that in a bowl of cold water, or in the microwave using the Defrost setting.
Denise Gunzl
0Made these tonight. Son and friends approve. My question is. What would be the time and temp for an air fryer?
Dawn L
0I started the air fryer at 7 minutes then turned them over and did about 4 min more. The cheese didn’t melt any more than the oven, honestly. I have a small one so I could only do 3-4 4 on a kebab rack — the highest temp for mine is 390 degrees.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, I wouldn’t recommend these for the air fryer since the cheese would fall through the rack.
Lori
0We baked this until our smoke detectors went off and finished it in the air fryer to bring up the internal temperature and crisp the bacon. We will probably freeze the cheese for a few minutes (and clean the oven!) before making it the next time.
Mary Blachek
0Hi! do you cook these on a rack over a cookie sheet or right on the cookie sheet with foil?
I can’t wait to try them tonight!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mary, You cook them without a rack because the cheese would drip down with a rack. You can use a rack if you make them without cheese.
Todd Johnson
0I am going to make it a little healthier and use turkey bacon. Let’s see how this turns out.
Cecily Kirkland
0I just fixed these with thighs and they were juicy so I had to broil them for crispiness and turn them over a couple of times to get crispy bacon. They were delicious.
Ginnie Moon
0May I cook these in my air fryer oven?
Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ginny, You can, but I would skip the cheese then.
Jess
0Has anyone used Swiss?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jess, I haven’t but that sounds great!
Wholesome Yum A
0What would you suggest for time/temp in an air fryer?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amanda, Sorry, I haven’t tried these in an air fryer. I’d probably omit the cheese in there and try 400 degrees, then watch them until done.
Tiffany
0What temp and how long do I cook for if using an air fryer?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tiffany, These won’t work in an air fryer because the cheese would fall through the rack.
Auburn Melton
0Omg I never had this before, made it tonight it was so darn tender and juicy with just enough crisp. Loved it!!
Marsha
0Maya-thank you so much for all the recipes using everyday ingredients. I won’t go and buy all the specialty ingredients!
Christina
0You had me at bacon with this recipe! What a great flavor combination! I loved it