Bacon Chicken Bites are a perfect appetizer for any occasion! A mixture of sweet caramelized brown sugar and the spicy heat of cayenne pepper round out the savory and sweet tones to perfection! In case you want some more options for delicious appetizers, try my Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs and hot Jalapeno Corn Dip!
Bacon Chicken Bites
The key to mastering this ah-mazing little appetizer is to purchase the appropriate bacon. I know what you are thinking. Isn’t all bacon “appropriate”? Yes, I believe we are on the same page in terms of bacon always being an acceptable food option. However, if you are going to make this particular appetizer, I would strongly suggest getting the best quality bacon you can find. The juices of the chicken and the bacon blend together and amp the spices of these chicken wrapped bacon bites and take them to a whole new level.
How to Season Bacon Chicken Bites
These bacon wrapped chicken bites are seriously mouth watering. After the first bite, I had to break it down to understand what was happening to make them so delicious. The first thing, bacon, we have already discussed. I believe what happens is that the fat renders from the bacon and seeps into all of the seasonings and naturally carmelizes the brown sugar.
The cayenne pepper does its job just subtly enough to create a little heat behind the sweetness. It is honestly magical what happens with these little guys.
To make the perfect seasoning you only need:
- brown sugar
- chili powder
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- onion powder
- garlic powder
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites Tips
If you happen to only have thick cut bacon, you are going to want to pre-cook the bacon just a little. I would suggest a 5-10 minute headstart. The reason you will want to do this is that otherwise, you may overcook the chicken. You want to give the chicken ample time to cook, but you need to match the timing up. If you go with regular, thin bacon, no need to precook them at all. Just pop them in all together.
Looking for more Chicken Recipes?
Check out some of my favorites!
Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushrooms
Cheesy Bacon Chicken with Mustard Sauce
Looking for more Appetizer Recipes?
Be sure to try some of our other favorites appetizers!
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites are a perfect appetizer for any occasion! A mixture of sweet caramelized brown sugar and the spicy heat of cayenne pepper round out the savory and sweet tones to perfection!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
- 1.5 pound package good quality bacon
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
- Cut each bacon slice in half.
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Wrap each chicken cube with bacon.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
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Dredge the wrapped chicken in mixture. (We did not use toothpicks, but if your bacon is falling off you can skewer them.) Place on foil-lined baking pan.
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Bake for 25 minutes and then flip the bites over. Bake for another 10 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
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IF YOU USED THICK BACON and PRECOOKED THE BACON they only need to cook for 25 minutes. Still turn them over halfway through cooking.
Recipe Video
[brid autoplay="true" video="385611" player="16519" title="Bacon Chicken Bites "]DID YOU MAKE Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites?
I want to hear about it! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram or on Facebook. I would love to see your finished product! Make sure to tag me @iamhomesteader or hashtag #iamhomesteader, or both!
forrest l lindauer says
January 19, 2019 at 7:27 amlooks good try tomorrow
Deb Foster says
January 22, 2019 at 12:19 amMine carmelized, got black and hard, smoked up my kitchen and set the smoke detectors off!! Not the desired outcome! I went backed and checked and I followed the recipe correctly.
Sonia says
February 3, 2019 at 7:24 pmUse parchment paper I assure you it won’t burn
Sylvia says
January 24, 2019 at 4:10 pmI’m making them Sunday ( wish me luck )
JULIE says
January 27, 2019 at 4:33 pmTo the one who’s burned.::try using parchment paper instead of foil
Is Mattingly says
March 2, 2019 at 11:45 pmJulie,
Thank you! Without your suggestion tonight would have been an outrageous mess.
Jackie says
February 1, 2019 at 4:08 amDid you use any dipping sauce? We are making this for the super bowl!
Autumn Maring says
February 3, 2019 at 2:31 pmWe didn’t but you could pair this with a bbq sauce or a ranch dressing and it would be amazing!
Karen says
February 4, 2019 at 1:17 pmI made these for the Superbowl this year and they were a huge hit at the party! They were delicious!
Sonia says
February 14, 2019 at 4:00 amThank you so much for the recipe. My husband loves it.
Sandra W says
March 15, 2019 at 9:42 amI made theses bacon wrapped chicken bites tonight after seeing the recipes this morning while browsing Pinterest. They were delicious, I used not quite a tablespoon of chilli in mine, but used all the other measures, still had a good bit of heat in them, I used smoked speck around mine, which crisped up beautifully, would be great to take along to share with friends at a BBQ or get together, I used a toothpick to hold them together, makes it easier to eat when hot off the oven tray. Will be making them again very soon. Thanks Amanda for sharing the recipe on Pinterest.
Regards Sandra W
Tony says
April 1, 2019 at 12:41 amI just made them and it came out wonderful and it taste very good you have to try delicious
Linda Lovett says
April 10, 2019 at 1:43 pmI’m going to try this but was wondering why not dredge the chicken in the sauces before wrapping them in bacon.
Jim Tureson says
April 15, 2019 at 7:34 pmI dipped -the bacon and chicken in melted butter and then dipped it into the mix……awesome result!!