Description
Sizzling bacon brown sugar chicken tenders offer a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors that dance across your palate. Crispy, caramelized edges and juicy meat create an irresistible dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs chicken tenders
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Seasoning and Spices:
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Coating and Preparation:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and crisp cooking.
- Whisk together the egg, honey, and dijon mustard in a shallow bowl to create a flavorful binding mixture for the chicken tenders.
- Combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt in a separate bowl to form a seasoned coating mixture.
- Dredge each chicken tender thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Dip the flour-coated chicken tenders into the honey-mustard egg wash, allowing excess to drip off.
- Sprinkle brown sugar generously over each coated tender, pressing gently to help the sugar adhere to the surface.
- Wrap each sugar-coated chicken tender with a slice of bacon, slightly overlapping to secure the bacon in place.
- Arrange the bacon-wrapped tenders on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are not touching each other.
- Drizzle olive oil lightly over the tenders to promote even browning and additional crispiness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and the brown sugar to set.
- Serve hot, garnishing with fresh herbs if desired for an extra touch of flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Swap honey for maple syrup to create a different sweet profile that complements the bacon’s smoky flavor.
- Ensure chicken tenders are patted completely dry before coating to help the flour mixture adhere more effectively and prevent sogginess.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture for those who enjoy a subtle kick of heat with their sweet and savory dish.
- Use turkey bacon as a leaner alternative for health-conscious individuals without compromising the overall delicious flavor combination.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 482
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 99 mg