Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders area a simple and delicious dinner idea the entire family will love, With the help of your trusty air fryer and a few basic ingredients, you can take your chicken tender recipe to a whole new level with delicious pieces of bacon.
This air fryer bacon wrapped chicken tenders recipe is the perfect combination of deliciousness and convenience. It’s one of our family’s favorite recipes! And who doesn’t love slices of bacon with their meals? I know I do!
This simple yet flavorful dish combines the savory flavor of crispy bacon with juicy, succulent chicken tenders, all cooked to perfection in an air fryer!
The best part? It only takes a few minutes to prepare and is ready in less than 20 minutes! Talk about making me happy.
This great dish that can be enjoyed on its own with your favorite dipping sauces for a game day appetizer or served with a yummy side dish for a filling meal.
If you love an easy meal, try out our juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs or this sweet and savory Huli Huli Chicken.
Why You’ll Love Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
- It’s a simple and easy recipe that requires only a few basic ingredients.
- The use of an air fryer makes the cooking process fast and hassle-free.
- The combination of crispy bacon and juicy chicken creates a amazing flavor explosion.
- A great option for a low carb meal. Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders are almost all protein.
- The cooking time is quick, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights or game days
Make it a complete meal with these delicious low-carb easy sautéed mushrooms as a side dish.
Difference Between Chicken Tenders and Chicken Tenderloins
First, both will work great for this recipe.
Chicken tenders are cut from just below the chicken breast, they tend to be a smaller, thinner piece of chicken.
Chicken Tenderloins are strips of boneless skinless chicken breasts and are a larger, thicker cut of meat. This larger cut of meat is perfect for a filling meal like this Crispy Parmesan Chicken Tenderloins recipe served over pasta.
If you decide to use Tenderloins for this recipe, you’ll need to adjust the cook time for the thicker cut of meat.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Love more easy air fryer recipes? Here’s a few delicious recipes for a main dish:
All-in-One Air Fryer Chicken and Broccoli
Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken
Kitchen Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Paper Towels
- Small Bowl
- Cutting board
- Tongs
- Meat Thermometer (I use this thermometer for every meat dish I cook!)
Ingredients
Here’s the list of simple ingredients you’ll need to make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders:
BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN TENDERS: The main ingredient! Chicken tenders are strips of chicken breasts, so there is little to no fat on the meat. It’s a good source of lean protein and has a mild flavor that works well with a variety of spices and seasonings.
BACON: You can use regular bacon or turkey bacon. This adds a salty, smoky flavor to the chicken with an outer crispy crunch. Be sure to choose a thin cut bacon and not a thick slice of bacon because it won’t crisp up.
OLIVE OIL: Just a small amount of olive oil (or oil of your choice such as avocado oil) to help the spices stick to the chicken tenders.
GARLIC POWDER: Adds a rich depth of flavor to the chicken.
ONION POWDER: Adds a savory, slightly sweet flavor that complements the flavor of the chicken.
PAPRIKA: This adds a subtle smoky flavor to the chicken, which tastes amazing with the bacon.
KOSHER SALT: Salt is a natural flavor enhancer, while also helping to tenderize the chicken. You an use sea salt as well, but don’t use table salt.
PEPPER: Pepper adds a bit of heat and depth to the flavor profile.
Recipe Variations
- Use chicken tenderloins, but cut away any large pieces of fat.
- Switch up your seasonings! Want a sweeter chicken, add brown sugar and remove the onion powder and paprika.
- Do you have a chicken seasoning mix you love, use it instead.
- Want some heat added? Add cayenne pepper or chili powder to your seasoning mix.
- Marinade your raw chicken in BBQ sauce for a completely different delicious recipe.
There are so many great meals you can make in your air fryer! Don’t miss out on this Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak recipe. It’s a tender steak with a delicious, perfectly seasoned and crispy breading.
How to Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
STEP 1: Rinse your chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
STEP 2: In a shallow bowl add olive oil and seasonings. Mix well.
STEP 3: Coat the chicken tenders with the oil and seasoning mixture. Set aside on a clean surface such as a cutting board.
STEP 4: Tightly wrap the chicken strips with a bacon strip. Start at one end of the chicken and wrap towards the middle, making sure to cover as much of the chicken as possible.
If there is room for another piece of bacon, start wrapping from the other end of the chicken.
If you find that your bacon strips are too long, feel free to cut them to make them more manageable.
Once all of your chicken pieces are wrapped in bacon, it’s time to get cooking.
STEP 5: Pre-heat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Most air fryer models need 1-2 minutes to preheat.
TIP: You can add air fryer parchment paper to the bottom of your pre-heated basket to make clean up easier.
STEP 6: Place your bacon-wrapped chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Cook the chicken for 12-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through using silicone tongs (so you don’t scratch the air fryer surface). Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure they are fully cooked.
STEP 7: When the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the air fryer and place it on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool slightly. This will help to remove any excess grease from the bacon and ensure that your chicken stays crispy.
Tips
- Use tongs to flip the chicken over.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.
- It’s easy to overcook air fryer chicken tenders because they are a small cut of meat. Watch them carefully to make sure you end up with moist chicken. Overcooking will dry them out.
Dipping Sauce Ideas
There are so many options, but here are a few that taste delicious with these bacon wrapped juicy chicken bites:
- Ranch Dressing
- Barbecue Sauce
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Buffalo Sauce
Make it a Meal
Feed the whole family by making this delicious dish a full meal.
Simply add your favorite side dishes such as green beans, broccoli, mashed potatoes or a vegetable medley.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have left over air fryer bacon wrapped chicken tenders, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat
Pop them right back in the air fryer for the best way to crisp up the bacon and warm the chicken.
Serve your juicy Air fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders with your favorite side dish and dipping sauce for a scrumptious recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders area a simple and delicious dinner idea the entire family will love, With the help of your trusty air fryer and a few basic ingredients, you can take your chicken tender recipe to a whole new level with delicious pieces of bacon.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders
- 1 pound Bacon (regular bacon or turkey bacon)
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Rinse your chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow bowl add olive oil and all seasonings. Mix well.
- Coat the chicken tenders with the oil and seasoning mixture. Set aside on a clean surface such as a cutting board.
- Tightly wrap the chicken strips with a bacon strip. Start at one end of the chicken and wrap towards the middle, making sure to cover as much of the chicken as possible. If there is room for another piece of bacon, start wrapping from the other end of the chicken. If you find that your bacon strips are too long, cut them to make them more manageable.
- Pre-heat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Most air fryer models need 1-2 minutes to preheat.
- Place your bacon-wrapped chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook the bacon wrapped chicken strips for 12-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Remove from the air fryer basket and place on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool slightly. This will also help to remove any excess grease from the bacon.
Notes
See recipe post for variations and substitutions.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 526Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1243mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 49g
Nutritional values are estimates and not exact.