Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
Published June 13, 2023 • Updated February 24, 2026
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This is the recipe I reach for on a busy weeknight when I don’t have the energy to drag out a bunch of ingredients. Four ingredients plus salt and pepper, and dinner is done. Chicken tenders, bacon, smoked paprika, and your favorite BBQ sauce (that’s it, seriously).
I’ve made these probably a hundred times since I first threw them together, and my kids devour them every single time. They don’t care that it’s keto. To them it’s just really good chicken wrapped in crispy bacon.
For the juiciest chicken and crispiest bacon, I use the air fryer. The bacon renders fast at 400 degrees, and you get that crackly shell around the outside without drying out the meat. If you don’t have an air fryer, the oven works fine and those instructions are in the recipe card below. Either way, you’re looking at a low-carb dinner that practically makes itself.
I brush on the BBQ sauce before cooking (not after), which lets it caramelize and get sticky while the bacon crisps. It’s the move. Serve these on their own, dip them in extra BBQ sauce or homemade ranch dressing, or pile them on top of a big salad. I also like pairing them with sheet pan chicken sides when I’m feeding a crowd.
How to make bacon wrapped chicken tenders
- Prep the chicken – Pat each tenderloin dry with a paper towel, then coat with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. I press the seasoning in so it actually sticks.
- Wrap with bacon – Wind a slice of thick-cut bacon tightly around each tender from top to bottom. Tuck both ends underneath so the weight of the chicken holds everything in place.
- Brush on BBQ sauce – I use a silicone brush to paint sauce on all sides before cooking. This is what gives you that sticky, caramelized glaze.
- Cook – Air fry at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Either way, you want an internal temp of 165 degrees and crispy bacon.
Air fryer vs. oven timing
I prefer the air fryer because the bacon renders faster and the edges get crispier. The tradeoff is capacity: my air fryer fits about 6 tenders per batch, so if I’m feeding the whole family I run two rounds. The oven takes longer but handles a full sheet pan at once.
- Air fryer – Single layer in the basket, 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. I flip mine halfway through for even browning.
- Oven – Single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. I use a wire rack on the sheet so the bacon crisps on all sides.
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Ingredients
1 pound chicken tenderloins -
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1 teaspoon black pepper
-
1 pound thick-cut bacon
-
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat and pat
Preheat air fryer to 400 °F or oven to 425 °F and pat dry chicken tenders using a paper towel.
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
Prepare seasoning blend
In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Season chicken
Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of the chicken tenders. Press seasoning in to evenly coat.
Wrap in bacon
Starting with the end of a bacon strip, tightly wrap the bacon around the length of the chicken tender from top to bottom.
- 1 pound thick cut bacon
Get saucy
Brush BBQ sauce on all sides of each bacon wrapped tenderloin using a silicone brush or basting brush.
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
Air fryer instructions
Cook in the air fryer at 400 °F for 10-15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F and bacon is crispy.
Oven instructions
Bake in the oven at 425 °F for 25-30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F and bacon is crispy.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular bacon instead of thick-cut?
I've made these with both and they work either way. Thin bacon crisps faster, so I lower the temperature to 375 degrees in the air fryer (or 400 degrees in the oven) and check a few minutes early. The main difference is that thin bacon wraps tighter and gives you a crispier shell, while thick-cut stays a little more chewy and meaty. I prefer thick-cut, but my mom actually likes the thin version better.
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken tenders?
I do this when the store is out of tenders. I slice chicken breasts into strips about the same width as a tenderloin, roughly 1 to 1.5 inches wide. They cook the same way, just make sure the strips are even thickness so they finish at the same time. I've also used chicken thighs, which are juicier but harder to wrap neatly.
Can I use different seasonings besides smoked paprika?
I swap the seasoning all the time depending on my mood. Regular paprika gives a milder flavor. My go-to alternative is garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of Italian seasoning. I've also done a Cajun rub with cayenne, garlic, and oregano, which is incredible if you like heat.
Can I stuff these with cheese before wrapping?
This is my kids' favorite version. I butterfly each tender with a knife, press in a stick of cheddar or a slice of Swiss, then wrap with bacon. The trick I figured out is to freeze them for about 10 minutes before cooking. Otherwise the cheese melts out before the bacon crisps up. Air fryer works best for these since the heat is more direct.
Do I need to flip them halfway through cooking?
In the air fryer, I flip mine at the halfway mark. It makes a noticeable difference in how evenly the bacon crisps, especially on the bottom. In the oven, I skip the flip if I'm using a wire rack because the air circulates underneath. If you're baking directly on a sheet pan, flip once at the 15-minute mark.
Should I brine the chicken first?
I've tested brining vs. no brining, and honestly the bacon keeps the chicken so moist that I skip it now. The one time I do brine is when I'm using chicken breast strips instead of actual tenderloins, because breasts can dry out faster. A 30-minute soak in salted water is all you need.
Can I make these in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
I've tried the slow cooker and the chicken comes out tender, but the bacon never crisps. It stays soft and rubbery, which I don't love. If you want to use a slow cooker, I'd cook them there for the tenderness, then finish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes to crisp the bacon. I haven't tried the Instant Pot for these because the pressure cooking would make the bacon texture even worse.
How do I keep the bacon from unraveling while cooking?
I wrap the bacon tightly and make sure both ends of the strip are tucked underneath the tender. The weight of the chicken holds them down. If you're still having trouble, a toothpick through the seam works perfectly. Just remember to remove it before serving (I've forgotten once, and my husband let me know about it).
My son dismantles every piece of chicken before eating it (has to inspect each bite, every time, it's a whole thing) and last night he ate four of these straight through without stopping once. I think the bacon wraps so tight there's nothing to investigate. The air fryer smell when these are almost done, that smoky paprika hitting the bacon fat, I stood in the kitchen longer than I needed to just for that. Four stars because I'm going heavier on the BBQ glaze next time, but him eating four straight through without the ritual is honestly enough.
Four straight through without stopping, that's a big deal. The air fryer smell at the end is half the reason I make these. Extra glaze works, just brush it on with 2 minutes left so it sets instead of burning.
Brought these to a neighborhood cookout last weekend and the first question I got was whether I'd ordered them somewhere. Bacon stayed crispy even after sitting out, which was perfect for a buffet. Only thing I'd change is making more.
Ha, that smoked paprika rub gets that reaction every time. I always double the batch now and it's still gone.
My husband only buys turkey bacon so that's all we have. Will it still wrap okay or does it fall apart in the air fryer since it's thinner?
Turkey bacon wraps okay, the thinner strips actually tuck easier around the tenders. Won't crisp up though, lower fat means it stays soft. Try 375 and pull them a couple minutes early.
Brushed the glaze on halfway through instead of at the start. Bacon stayed crispy, sauce didn't burn off. Then a quick 2-min broil at 400F right after, caramelized into something almost lacquered. Way better texture than air frying alone.
That broil at the end is what I'm missing. I pull mine straight out of the air fryer and they're good but not lacquered.
Added a little cayenne to the smoked paprika rub because I had it sitting out, and the heat under the bacon is something else. It kind of sneaks up right after the BBQ glaze sweetness fades, which I wasn't expecting. I was pretty nervous since I'm still new to air frying, but they came out golden and the bacon was fully crisp at 18 minutes exactly. Tip I figured out the hard way: press the seasoning into the chicken before wrapping, otherwise it slides around when you're handling the raw bacon strips. Made these for a Saturday cookout, wrapped them tight enough that no glaze dripped through the basket. Double batch next time.
The cayenne after the BBQ fade is the thing. I do a full Cajun rub version sometimes (cayenne, garlic, onion) and it does the same sneaky heat. Your tip about pressing the seasoning in is right, the bacon slides everything off if you skip that step.
Wasn't sure the bacon would actually crisp up in the air fryer without a lot of babysitting, but at 400 it comes out tight and lacquered in a way I haven't gotten from other versions I've tried. The paprika rub underneath pulls everything together once the bacon does its thing.
400 and walk away. I don't bother with oven versions anymore, too inconsistent.
Brought these to a cookout last weekend and they were gone in about ten minutes. Two guys who don't eat low carb kept asking what I did to the bacon, and the smoked paprika rub is the honest answer. Four stars because I should have made a double batch.
The paprika in the bacon fat is what gets people. Non-keto crowd never sees it coming. Double batch is the rule for cookouts.
My son, who has strong opinions about plain chicken, grabbed a second one before he'd even finished the first. The smoked paprika rub holds its own through the bacon, which I wouldn't have guessed. Knocked off a star only because the bacon didn't crisp up as much as I hoped, but I was using thin-cut.
Thin-cut needs 375 in the air fryer, not 400. Higher heat makes it go floppy before it crisps. Check it a couple minutes early and it'll get there.
Thought the BBQ glaze was going to turn into a sticky disaster in the air fryer, coating the basket and burning before the bacon crisped. Wrong on every count. The glaze caramelized into this almost lacquered shell and I'm still thinking about it three days later.
That lacquered thing is exactly right. The sugars in the BBQ sauce hit the circulating heat and set before they have a chance to drip. Oven version doesn't do the same thing.
Brought these to a neighborhood cookout last weekend and they were gone before the burgers came off the grill. The BBQ glaze held up way better outside than I expected, no mess, just clean bites. Making a double batch next time.
Gone before the burgers. The glaze sets as it cools, which is why these hold up outside without turning into a mess.
Sixth batch of these and I'm more into them than I was the first time. The timing was what finally clicked for me, 17 minutes in the air fryer instead of the full 20, and now the bacon crisps with this almost caramelized edge that I keep coming back to. The smoked paprika under the bacon doesn't get enough credit. By the end it builds this smoky-sweet thing that locks into the BBQ glaze. The first few batches were good. This version is better.
17 is my number most of the time. The paprika absorbs into the bacon fat as it renders - that's where the smoky-sweet thing actually comes from, not the glaze.
Made a double batch Sunday and I'm on day three, still pulling these from the fridge and doing a three-minute reheat at 375 in the air fryer (they come back actually crispy). The smoked paprika gets more aggressive as they sit, which I was not expecting.
The paprika deepens as it sits. Day three is almost better than right out of the air fryer.