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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.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
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
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.
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!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Patricia!
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!