These oven baked bacon wrapped chicken tenders are always a hit as appetizers or main dish. The bacon keeps the meat juicy and provides added flavor.
My husband just told me that he invited a bunch of friends to come over to watch the Super Bowl next weekend. I’m sure they will probably bring some food, but I want to prepare a few appetizers.
I picked up some chicken tenders to come up with a new appetizer recipe. Originally, I planned to make Buffalo chicken tenders using my shake and bake chicken recipe for the coating. I even debated on the spicy dry rub chicken wings.
I’ve already come up with many low carb appetizer recipes over the years. However, I eventually was settled on wanting to test out a new recipe that I can make for the big game this year
After thinking about how messy Buffalo chicken is, I chose to make these oven baked bacon wrapped chicken tenders instead. And, I’m so glad I went with this recipe. They are so yummy!
It’s super easy to make this appetizer. I used the shake and bake method to easily coat each chicken piece with the spice blend.
You simply dump all the herbs and spices into a large zipper bag. Then, you add each piece of chicken and shake the bag to evenly coat it.
Once coated with the seasonings, you just have to wrap a slice of bacon around each tender. I’m thinking at this point, you could put them in the refrigerator and bake next day.
To ensure the bacon grease dripped off and the bacon gets crisp, I cooked the bacon wrapped chicken tenders on cooling racks. It’s the method I use when baking bacon.
Sometimes, oven baked chicken tenders can be dry. However, you won’t every have to worry about that when you wrap them in bacon!
My family members who tested these oven baked bacon wrapped chicken tenders thought they were a bit spicy. I’ll probably tone down the cayenne pepper next time to please others.
I have trouble determining if something is too spicy because I like my food on the really hot side spice wise. So, if they said it had too much of a kick, likely most others will think so too.
In the recipe, I list the amount of cayenne I used, but note that it should be reduced for those who don’t want it too spicy. I’d say using half the amount should please most.
Since I’m a fan of really spicy food, I served my bacon wrapped chicken tenders with some Sarayo sauce. I had an extra bottle sitting around from a past Keto Krate shipment.
The tenders taste great by themselves, but I like to add in that extra kick. You could serve them plain or with your favorite dipping sauce.
Ranch or blue cheese dressing would also be great for dipping. When I serve these as appetizers for the Super Bowl, I’m going to cut each tender into 3 or 4 bite size pieces.
We served these up as a main dish for dinner and lunch. Two pieces turned out to be the perfect size serving.
I love that these oven baked bacon wrapped chicken tenders are so easy to make. My daughter who is clueless when it comes to cooking even commented about the ease of the recipe.
The inspiration for this chicken tender recipe came from a similar recipe I found here. However, I made the recipe with my own spice blend and used a better method for crisping the bacon.
If you like chicken and bacon, you must try this simple and delicious recipe. It’s sure to become one of your favorite low carb recipes!
Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders Recipe
Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper reduce for less spice
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 pounds chicken tenders about 16 tenders
- 16 slices no sugar bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two rimmed baking pans with aluminum foil and top with metal rack. (I used two jellyroll pans and topped each with a cooling rack the same size)
- In large plastic zipper bag, dump in all the herbs and spices. Close bag and shake to blend.
- Place each chicken tender in the zipper bag, close, and shake bag to coat the chicken in the spice blend. Once coated wrap in bacon being sure to tuck in the ends and then place on rack in prepared pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes at 425°F. Bacon should be crispy. If bacon isn't crispy, you can place each pan under the broiler for a minute or two.
Notes
Nutrition
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Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
