Smoky Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast

If we have guests coming over and I’m short on time, I know I can have this juicy chicken breast wrapped in crispy bacon on the table in 45 minutes or less. Bacon-wrapped chicken breasts need minimal ingredients, and they have SO MUCH flavor. Plus, wrapping the chicken is way easier than you might think. It’s the same technique used to make bacon-wrapped figs or bacon-wrapped steak bites on game day, just on a slightly larger scale.

Apart from its ease, the thing that makes this bacon-wrapped chicken stand out is the smoky chipotle spice rub. I used a handful of spices in the pantry, including cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, to create a rub that has just the right amount of heat to it. It’s warm and flavorful but not spicy, so this chicken recipe is approved by the kids and the adults alike.

Besides the spice rub, all you need is a pack of chicken breasts and smoky bacon. That’s it!

About This 3-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

• “Fancy” without trying. Wrapping chicken breasts in bacon delivers a nice presentation with very little effort.
• Crispy outside, super juicy inside. The bacon crisps and caramelizes in the heat of the oven while the chicken underneath stays tender and juicy.
• Smoky, savory flavors. The spice rub paired with the smokiness of the bacon strips takes this easy baked chicken breast recipe to another level.
• Crowd-pleasing and versatile. These are quick enough to prepare for a weeknight family dinner, just as they’re great for entertaining guests. Who doesn’t love just about anything wrapped in bacon?!

What You’ll Need

This easy bacon-wrapped chicken recipe is made with just two ingredients and a homemade spice rub. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.

• Chicken breasts – Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are equal in size.
• Bacon – I suggest using regular bacon, not thick cut. It’ll be easier to wrap around the chicken.
• Spice rub – The homemade smoky chipotle spice rub is made with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

Follow these steps to prep, assemble, and bake these bacon-wrapped chicken breasts in minutes.

• First, make the spice rub. Combine all of the chipotle spices in a small bowl.
• Season the chicken. Next, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season each side generously with the spice blend.
• Wrap the chicken in bacon. Starting at one end, wrap the bacon around the chicken until it’s covered. I used 2 bacon strips per chicken breast, but you may need more if your chicken breasts are bigger.
• Bake. Bake the wrapped chicken on top of a wire rack set over a baking sheet at 400ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. Then, increase the temperature to 450ºF, and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up the bacon.

Alternative Cooking Methods

If you’d prefer to make grilled bacon-wrapped chicken or use your air fryer instead, you absolutely can. Here are my suggestions:

• Grill: Prepare the chicken as directed, and cook the chicken on a preheated outdoor grill. See how to grill chicken breast for in-depth steps. It should take about 20 to 25 minutes for them to cook fully, depending on the thickness. Flip halfway through.
• Air fryer: Make a variation of air fryer chicken breast and cook the chicken breasts in a preheated 370ºF air fryer for 18-25 minutes.

Tips for Juicy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

• How to tell when the chicken is done. Baked chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
• Use equal-sized pieces of chicken. Whether you stick with chicken breasts or try this recipe with another cut of chicken, all pieces should be roughly the same size to ensure they cook evenly.
• Don’t use thick-cut bacon. Thick-cut bacon, while delicious, will take too long to cook for this recipe and won’t get the crispy outer texture that you want.
• Bake on a wire rack. Set the bacon-wrapped chicken on top of a wire rack with a lined baking sheet underneath to catch any drippings. This gives the hot air room to circulate and crisp up the bacon.
• Don’t overcook the chicken. Once the chicken reaches 165ºF, remove it from the oven so that it doesn’t continue to cook. Otherwise, it may dry out.
• Let it rest before slicing. Allow the chicken breasts to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after removing them from the oven, before slicing and serving. This lets the juices redistribute and keeps the inside tender.

Quick Variations

• Different cuts of chicken. You can use pretty much any cut of chicken, such as thighs and drumsticks. I personally prefer to use boneless, skinless cuts of meat as they’re easy to slice before serving. You may need to adjust the cooking time as well.
• More spices. Instead of chipotle spices, try a brown sugar spice rub, Italian seasoning mix, or even a Ranch seasoning mix. Anything you like that would pair well with bacon!
• Baste the chicken. For even more sweet-smoky flavor, brush these bacon-wrapped chicken breasts with homemade raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce. Once before they go into the oven, and again after they come out.

What to Serve With Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

Tender baked chicken wrapped in bacon makes a great main course with a few easy side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Potatoes: Serve with a potato salad with herb dressing, crispy garlic potatoes, or cheesy scalloped potatoes.
• Low-carb sides: Pair this 3-ingredient chicken with my 3-ingredient mashed cauliflower for a low-carb, high-protein dinner.
• Rice: Instant Pot jasmine rice is quick and easy. Or, this fresh, herbaceous cilantro lime rice goes with just about any chicken dinner. Swap cilantro with parsley if cilantro isn’t your thing!

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate leftovers. Keep this bacon-wrapped chicken airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat. You can reheat the chicken breasts in the microwave or in the oven. If you’re using the oven, I suggest wrapping or covering the chicken breasts in foil when reheating so they won’t dry out. You can also slice the chicken cold to add to wraps, salads, and sandwiches for a light lunch.
• Freeze. You can freeze the cooked, cooled bacon-wrapped chicken breast in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge before reheating.

More Easy Chicken Breast Recipes

• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Baked Chicken Parmesan
• French Onion Chicken
• Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken
• Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs