Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast is an impressive main dish that is incredibly easy to make! The chicken is seasoned to perfection, wrapped in bacon, and brushed with a maple-lemon glaze. The result is tender, juicy chicken on the inside with crispy bacon on the outside. This recipe only requires 10 minutes of prep time, and it’s always a huge hit.
Bacon Makes Everything Better
Whenever I want to serve something that looks impressive but is secretly no fuss at all, bacon is usually involved.
My Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin gets the same reaction from guests every time, and this chicken version has become just as much of a regular in my house.
I almost always have chicken breasts in the fridge, so one night I tried the same bacon trick on them instead of pork, and it worked even better than I expected. The bacon locks the moisture in as it bakes, so the chicken stays tender while the outside turns crisp and a little caramelized from the glaze.
My favorite way to round this out for dinner is with my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, since it roasts in the oven at the same temperature and comes out at the same time as the chicken. No extra pans, no extra timing to juggle.
Gather These Ingredients
Chicken breast — I’ve tested this recipe using breasts, chicken thighs or chicken tenders too. They all work great, but I prefer to use breasts. They’re a great shape for wrapping, and the bacon keeps all the juices in, so they come out extra tender.
Bacon — You can use any strips of bacon in this recipe, as long as it’s regular thickness. Thin-cut bacon cooks too quickly, and thick-cut bacon takes too long to cook.
Seasonings — I’m using a blend of spices: garlic powder (or onion powder), Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. It gives the dish a ton of flavor without overpowering the bacon. Feel free to add a little heat (chili powder) or even brown sugar for extra sweetness.
Glaze — A two-ingredient maple syrup and lemon juice glaze is the finishing touch that makes this dish so special. You can also use honey or agave syrup, if you prefer.
How to Make This Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
Preheat your oven to 400°F before you start wrapping the chicken. I like having it fully heated by the time the bacon goes on so the chicken starts crisping right away instead of sitting in a slowly warming oven.
1. Pat the chicken breasts dry on all sides before adding the seasoning. I mix the seasoning blend first so I can rub it on evenly, and I press it in firmly since it won’t be visible once the bacon goes on.
2. Wrap each chicken breast with two pieces of bacon, tucking the loose ends underneath. I only bring the bacon over the top rather than wrapping it all the way around, since bacon underneath the chicken just steams against the pan instead of crisping.
3. Whisk the maple syrup and lemon juice together until smooth, then brush a light, even layer over the top of the wrapped chicken, working it into the grooves.
4. Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. I’ve tested this both with and without the rack, and I always come back to the rack. It lets the grease drip away instead of pooling, so the bacon actually crisps instead of frying in its own fat.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part and the bacon is nearly crisp. I always check with an instant read thermometer rather than going by time alone, since oven variance can throw this off by several minutes either way.
6. Switch the oven to broil and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the bacon reaches the color you want. Check at the two minute mark rather than waiting for the timer. The maple in the glaze caramelizes fast, and it goes from sticky to burnt in under a minute once it turns.
Make-Ahead and Meal-Prep
You can season and wrap the chicken up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. I’d hold off on brushing the glaze until right before it goes in the oven, since the maple syrup gets sticky and doesn’t brush on as evenly once it’s had time to sit.
This is also a solid one to make for the week ahead. I’ll often slice it warm into a meal prep bowl for lunches, or let it go cold and chop it into a chicken salad instead.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Keep the chicken breasts close in size. If one is noticeably thicker than the others, I either pound it down slightly before seasoning or give it an extra couple of minutes in the oven, tenting it loosely with foil so the bacon doesn’t burn while the thicker piece catches up.
Wrap the top, not the whole breast. I only bring the bacon over the top and tuck the ends underneath rather than wrapping it all the way around. The bottom of the chicken sits directly on the pan, so bacon wrapped underneath it just steams instead of crisping. Leaving it exposed on top is what gets you that crackly texture.
Go easy on the overlap. A little overlap holds the bacon in place, but if you layer it on too thick in spots, those double layers won’t crisp up the same way the single layer around them does. You end up with a chewy patch right in the middle of an otherwise crispy piece.
Check the broiler at the two minute mark, not after. The maple in the glaze caramelizes fast under direct heat, and it goes from perfectly sticky to burnt in under a minute once it starts to turn. I open the oven and check color at 2 minutes every time, rather than waiting for the timer to hit 4.
More Chicken Breast Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast with Maple Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 8 slices bacon not thick-cut
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place a wire rack on middle (optional, but helps crisp the bacon).
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Rub the seasoning blend evenly over each chicken breast.
- Wrap each seasoned chicken breast with 2 slices of bacon, slightly overlapping them and tucking the ends underneath to secure.
- In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup and lemon juice.
- Brush a light layer over the bacon-wrapped chicken. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared baking rack or sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the bacon is nearly crisp.
- Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until the bacon is browned and crispy.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
To reheat: Reheat in the oven until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
To freeze: Tightly wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Sounds wonderful and i will definitely try
Thank you so much! I hope you love it! Let me know how it turns out — I would love to hear your feedback! 😊