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Get It NowIf 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! But, if you prefer a traditional breaded kind, use this keto chicken tenders recipe instead.
Anything wrapped in bacon is going to be impressive! And, it can be wrapped on just about anything. If you’re a fan of bacon wrapped recipes don’t forget to check out my chicken wrapped in bacon, bacon wrapped dates, bacon wrapped hot dogs, or bacon wrapped scallops.
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. Complete the meal with zucchini gratin.
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 healthy 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?
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you like these bacon wrapped chicken tenders, here are more easy chicken ideas:
- Juicy Baked Chicken Breast – My easy technique for the juiciest chicken ever.
- Crock Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Coconut Chicken Tenders
- Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast – Just 5 ingredients, sweet & salty, and paleo friendly!
Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders Recipe - 3 Ingredients
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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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.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil (greased lightly) or parchment paper.
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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.
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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.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 chicken tenders
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We'd LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders Recipe - 3 Ingredients
123 Comments
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?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Selma, Sure, you can freeze these after baking. When you are ready to eat them, let them thaw first in the refrigerator, then re-heat in an oven, air fryer or microwave.
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?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, I wouldn’t recommend these for the air fryer since the cheese would fall through the rack.
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.
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
Nellie Tracy
0These Chicken Tenders are absolutely amazing! Love the bacon!
Leslie
0You had me at “bacon wrapped.” But then you added cheese….wow! These will fly off the platter!
Erin Dee
0I love easy to make recipes like these bacon wrapped chicken tenders! These will be perfect for a busy weeknight meal!
Sarah
0I bet my oldest daughter and husband would be all over these. I bet it adds a lot of flavor and crunch.
Kelly
0I know a lot of people who would love these tenders. And hooray for just 3 ingredients!
Aimee
0This is one of our favorites. Even my kids gobble it up without any complaints!
Nellie Tracy
0I am always a big fan of recipes that require 3 ingredients or less! Love this!
Debra Waller
0These sound really tasty, gotta try!
Jude
0What is the sodium content?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jude, Sorry, I only have the nutrition info listed on the recipe card, so you’d need to add up the sodium from the ingredients you have.
Shacha Ramirez
0Could you tell me what pan you used? I like that set up but have no idea where to find that.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Shacha! You can find most of the tools I like to work with on a regular basis in this link.
Dorothy Friis
0How can I reheat my leftovers?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dorothy. You can either reheat in the oven or the microwave. Thanks for stopping by!
Tabitha Hillyar
0The family and I loved this recipe. I made a few tweaks. On top of the chicken tender I layed a thin strip of prosciutto (only on some), spread a small smear of cream cheese with sundried tomatoes on top of a couple leaves of baby spinach then flipped them over and place on top of tender. Then I thinly sliced sharp cheddar and wrapped the entire tender with applewood smoked bacon securing it with toothpicks. Mmmm… so good. Thank you for your post
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for sharing your substitutions with us, Tabitha!
Jas
0This is a new hit in my home! Thanks for sharing
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I love to hear that, Jas!
April Dober
0I’m not sure what happened, but mine came out of the oven with liquid all over the pan and practically all the cheese missing. I followed the recipe exactly.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi April, Sorry to hear that. I haven’t had this happen before. The cheese does ooze out a little, but I’m not sure why it would be missing unless it was a processed cheese product. Other than that, make sure you wrap the bacon around tightly to help reduce the cheese oozing out.
Staci
0Do you cook the bacon first? Or does it cook with the chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Staci, The bacon cooks with the chicken – no need to cook it first.
Brenda
0This is an amazing recipe! Used it as a protein main course. Family LOVED it!
I liked these so much, that I decided to get a little wild and crazy with it, and made it again, but used jalapeños halves seeded, then put cheese inside the jalapeño, tenderloin on top, wrapped with bacon. BAM!! we had POPPERS that were OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Served these at our girl luncheon. BIG success!! Thank you Maya!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Brenda! That sounds delicious!
Linda Lewis
0I tried these tonight. My husband said, “This is the best chicken of this type I have EVER tasted. Please put it in our really-good-recipe rotation.” Just an aside – next time we’ll need to remember to take down two battery-powered smoke detectors that weren’t happy with the high stove temps and the broiler. :0) Thanks for a wonderful recipe. I plan to share it on my blog, of course giving you credit and giving the name and URL of your website.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Linda! I’m glad you liked the chicken tenders.
My sharing policy is you can feel free to use a photo and/or excerpt with a link back to the original recipe, but please don’t re-post the whole recipe. Thank you!
Michelle
0I made these and the whole family loved them. They heat up well when doing meal prep for the week.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Michelle!
Bronia
0An awesome and easy recipe! Devoured by family & friends. *****
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Bronia!
Dorah
0The best chicken. It is so cheesy. My kids love it and it’s easy to make.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Dorah!
Lisa Greenberg
0All of the cheese melted out when I made these. I wrapped the bacon as tight as I could.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, Sorry that happened. I haven’t experienced that before. Was the bacon fully covering the cheese when wrapping? That helps hold it in.
Patricia Parsons
0These are awesome. All my family loves them and that doesn’t happen often. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Patricia!
Ashlee
0Never cooked so good in my life I put like 8 of them in the oven at 450 for 25 minutes instead of 15 because I don’t know how to use a broiler to crisp the bacon. The 25 made the bacon just how I like it. Recipe is AMAZING!!
Dee
0I made these and my husband went nuts over them. They are so easy to make. They work good with turkey too.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Dee!
Marci Townsend
0Excellent.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Marci!
Jo Ann
0I made these and they were so good. Very easy. The only problem was my cheese melted out of the chicken and bacon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jo Ann!
Jan
0What is the purpose of soaking tenders in the salt brine?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jan, The purpose is to make them juicy.
Emily
0Made for dinner tonight. Soooo good! Plus a winner with my 6 year old son.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Emily! Always a plus when the kids like it.
Debi
0Can you make this ahead and freeze them for later? These chicken tenders look great and very easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debi, I think you can. I’d recommend preparing them but not baking before freezing. You should be able to bake right from frozen, they’ll just take a little longer in the oven.
Jessica
0Made these today. They were easy and super good. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jessica!