Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are juicy chicken bites in crunchy bacon with the perfect blend of seasonings and a delicious sauce. It is so easy and makes such a delicious dinner that everyone will love. And you can have it on the table in 30 minutes. 

Looking for some more easy air fryer recipes? Try our Bacon Wrapped Green Beans for a side dish to this chicken tenders recipe. Our Air Fryer Pork Chops are another scrumptious recipe to try for dinner. Or try these Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions that cook in the oven for 15 minutes. 

These can be the main entrée, side dish, or appetizer, but however you serve them, this will be one of your favorite recipes. In fact, this is exactly what you need for those busy weeknights when you do not have enough time to prepare an oven meal. 

With the perfect combination of tender chicken, sweet sauce, and crispy pieces of bacon, you will all love this delicious recipe. Try it tonight and see what everyone thinks. 

These are so easy to make and so delicious, they can also make a great appetizer for a game night if you serve them with a few choices of dipping sauce. In addition, that would be a great part of a hearty lunch box.

Ingredients needed:

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to get the exact measurements from our recipe card. But here are the basic ingredients you will need for this easy recipe:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cut into tenders.
• Bacon: 12 slices of bacon cut in half.
• Barbecue sauce: Store-bought or make your own with our delicious homemade BBQ sauce recipe. 
• Salt
• Black pepper

Rub ingredients:

• Brown sugar: Light or dark will both work here. 
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika
• Chili powder

How to make bacon wrapped chicken tenders recipe?

1. Preheat: To begin, preheat your fryer to 390 degrees F for five minutes.
2. Season: Meanwhile, season your chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper. 
3. Bacon: After, carefully roll each piece of bacon around the raw chicken tightly.
4. Mix: Then, mix all of the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Gently roll each piece in the mix and then place it on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
5. Arrange: Next, arrange each of the pieces in a single layer in the fryer basket, making sure they do not touch. 
6. Brush: Immediately, brush each piece with barbecue sauce and then air fry it at 400 degrees fahrenheit for five minutes. 
7. Flip and brush: After five minutes, flip the chicken and brush it with sauce. Fry for another four to five minutes until you have crispy bacon. 
8. Serve: Finally, serve these delicious bacon chicken tenders warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipe variations:

• Tex Mex: These are also good coated in sweet chili sauce instead of bbq sauce.
• Spice it up: Add a bit of cayenne pepper to your rub for a spicy kick. 
• Sweeten it up: Make these a little sweeter by adding granulated sugar to the rub.
• Flavor explosion: Give these a flavor explosion with some Italian or Ranch seasoning added to the rub.
• Sweet mustard: Slather some sweet mustard on each slice of bacon instead of bbq sauce.
• Seafood: In addition, try this recipe with fish sticks or shrimp.

How to serve:

The best way to serve these is warm with your family’s favorite dipping sauces.

• Mix cream cheese with a bit of chives to dip these in. 
• This air fryer chicken recipe is also fantastic served with tangy teriyaki sauce or nacho cheese. 
• Your entire family will love these with beer battered onion rings or crunchy sweet potato chips. 
• Or make this your family’s favorite chicken breast recipe by serving with BBQ sloppy joes. 
• Coat each of the bacon slices in ranch dressing for a cool ranch flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you cook bacon in an air fryer? 

It is perfectly safe to cook bacon in your fryer but make sure you use the right temperature. The best temperature to use is about 350 degrees F.

This will get your bacon crispy without causing it to burn or smoke. In addition, making sure to turn it on the other side in time, is also important.

Another tip is to use thick-cut bacon, as the thin slices cook quicker.

What should not be cooked in the air fryer?

You may have heard that you can cook anything in your fryer, which is sort of true. But some things are not recommended.

For example, foods with wet batter will not cook properly. Fresh greens will cook unevenly due to the air frying method. And cheese typically just melts into the grates. 

Can you put aluminum foil in the air fryer?

Putting foil in the fryer is okay but sometimes it is not your best option. If you put it in the basket and cover the holes, the air will not be able to circulate, and the food will not cook right.

If you just place it on top, it can blow around and even catch fire if it touches the heating elements. Make sure it is weighted down by tucking it under something.

How to store leftovers:

1. Store: Your leftover air fryer bacon wrapped chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
2. Freeze: Also, if you freeze each piece of chicken individually by wrapping them in plastic wrap, you can put them in a freezer bag and store them for 90 days in your freezer.
3. Thaw: Be sure to thaw them in the fridge overnight for easier heating.
4. Reheat: To reheat, use your microwave, oven, or fryer. 

Recipe tips:

• Make sure you coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil, so the pieces do not stick. 
• Alternatively, use turkey bacon to make this dish even healthier. 
• If you prefer dark meat, use skinless chicken thighs instead. 
• The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F on your meat thermometer when they are done. 
• Use toothpicks to keep the bacon strips from falling off the chicken. 

5 from 3 votes

Print

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are juicy chicken bites in crunchy bacon with the perfect blend of seasonings and a delicious sauce.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Servings: 16 chicken tenders

Calories: 164 kcal

Author: Catalina Castravet

Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken tenders cut in half
• 12 slices thick-cut bacon cut in half
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce

Rub:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder optional
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.

2. Mix the rub ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

4. Roll the bacon tightly around the chicken.

5. Toss each bacon-wrapped chicken piece in the rub mixture and place it on a cutting board or plate.

6. Arrange the chicken in one layer in the air fryer basket, not touching each other.

7. Brush the bbq sauce on top of the chicken.

8. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F and air fry for 5 minutes.

9. Flip, brush again with sauce, and air fry for another 5 minutes, or until crisp.

10. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Amount Per Serving

Calories 164 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 34mg11%

Sodium 301mg13%

Potassium 181mg5%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 262IU5%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 8mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.