These bacon-wrapped chicken bites are a perfect appetizer. The juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and a spicy brown sugar coating will make them the first finger food to disappear at any party. Assemble them with toothpicks ahead of time, then coat and bake them for the party—so easy, so good.
🐓Ingredients
Chicken—skinless boneless chicken breasts
Bacon
Pantry ingredients—Brown sugar, chili powder, and cumin
Optional cayenne pepper
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🐓Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
- 🤔Options and variations
- 📅Making them ahead of time
- ♨️How to keep chicken bites warm for serving
- 📋Appetizer and Party Recipes
- ❄️Storing leftovers and reheating
- ❓FAQs
- ⚕️Chicken food safety tips
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Jamie:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"These are so yummy and so easy to make!"
These sweet and spicy bacon and chicken wraps require a skill level of 3/10 (easy). The chili powder and cumin add spiciness but not much heat. Add the optional cayenne pepper for more heat. It is easy to double or triple if needed.
Check out these other popular appetizer recipes, such as Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bites, Candied Almonds, and Candied Bacon.
👨🍳How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Clean and trim chicken into 1-inch cubes.
2. Thin and trim the bacon strips with the back edge of a chef's knife to your desired thickness. Then, cut the bacon slices in half.
3. Roll the bacon around the chicken cubes and secure it with a toothpick.
4. Mix the coating of brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and optional cayenne pepper.
5. Prep a sheet pan with aluminum foil and a rack–spray with PAM.
6. Roll the pieces in the brown sugar mixture. Be sure to pack some in the ends. Place on the rack.
7. Bake until golden brown and at a 165° internal temperature for about 35 minutes.
8. Cover with foil on a heavy dish to keep warm until served. See the above discussion about options to stay warm safely.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
🤔Options and variations
The chicken does need to be raw chicken breast or thighs. If you use thighs, they are safe cooked to 165° like all other chicken but are more tender if cooked to 180°
The cumin is optional but it adds a warm spiciness but no significant heat.
I like to add a touch cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon, for some heat.
I like to start with thicker bacon so I can trim some fat and still have enough bacon width to cover the chicken when I thin it.
Use either light or dark brown sugar.
A rack is highly recommended but not required. It will keep the chicken warps out of the draining bacon fat.
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📅Making them ahead of time
Assemble them, but do not coat them with spices or bake. Cover airtight and refrigerate for a day.
♨️How to keep chicken bites warm for serving
Keeping them warm for serving could be a challenge. Electric griddles usually have a warm setting and will work well.
A large crock pot will work with crumpled-up aluminum foil in the bottom so the bottom layer does not set in drained liquid. Use a low setting.
For food safety, keep the temperature above 140° if they are out for more than 2 hours (they will not last that long at most parties).
📋Appetizer and Party Recipes
Don't forget to check out other party recipes, like Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, Lemon Squares, and Cheesecake Bars.
Check out these other recipes for BBQ picnics and parties, like oven baked chicken legs, grilled chicken drumsticks, grilled bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, or burgers on the grill.
❄️Storing leftovers and reheating
Store airtight in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze for 2 months. Freeze on a tray to freeze individually for several hours, then transfer to an airtight container.
To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes.
❓FAQs
If you use thinner bacon, it is not needed. Very thick bacon may take enough extra cooking time to overcook the chicken.
I like to use standard "thick-cut" bacon, which can then be thinned to widen it. This allows me to better cover the chicken and trim some fat.
⚕️Chicken food safety tips
Raw chicken and other poultry should be considered contaminated and handled with care. Wash your hands carefully before and after touching raw chicken.
We do not wash raw chicken routinely due to water splatter. For more information, see Chicken: To Rinse or Not to Rinse?
You must cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165° for safety—see the USDA recommendations for more information. You need to check this with an instant-read thermometer.
These chicken wraps are frequently used for parties. Be sure they stay above 140°. If they falls below 140° for more than 2 hours, they should be discarded.
Most recipes (including this one) include estimated cooking times. These are provided for planning purposes. However, you can not cook safely using time—you must use a thermometer.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts - cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 pound bacon - buy good quality
- ⅖ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional).
- Clean and trim about 1 ¼ pounds of skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into approx 1-inch cubes.
- If using thick-cut bacon, you may thin the strips of bacon with the back edge of a chef's knife and trim some fat. Cut the strips in half.
- Roll the bacon around the chicken cubes and secure it with a toothpick. At this point, cover and refrigerate for better timing. You can keep it tightly covered and refrigerated for up to a day.
- Prep a sheet pan with aluminum foil and a rack–spray with PAM.
- Roll the pieces in the brown sugar mixture. Be sure to pack some in the ends. Place on the rack.
- Bake until golden brown and at a 165° internal temperature for about 35 minutes.
- Cover with foil on a heavy dish to keep warm until served.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- If you are using thicker bacon, you may want to flatten it a bit with the flat edge of a knife. This will widen it, allowing you to wrap the chicken better and trim some fat. Alternatively, you can use thinner bacon.
- Chicken thighs work fine or can be substituted for small sausages or other things.
- The cayenne pepper is optional. It adds some heat.
- It can be made up a day ahead after covering the chicken in bacon and securing it with a toothpick before coating it with sugar and spice mix.
- Serve warm. A griddle or crock pot will work nicely. See the post for a discussion about food safety and keeping them warm.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Adapted from Food Network Paula Deen recipe.
Editor note: Originally published June 15, 2012. This recipe has been one of my most pinned recipes on Pinterest and is one of our go-to recipes for gatherings. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Cathy S says
Could you use chicken wing flats for this?
If so, how long would you recommend cooking and what temp?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Cathy,
Welcome to the blog.
I don't see that as a good idea. The effect of the bacon fat on the chicken skin would probably not be good. It would be totally different than deep-frying due to the difference in the fat temperature.
Dan
Kate says
Do u think you could cook these and then keep warm in lower cooker or would they dry out?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kate,
Welcome to the blog.
Not on low which works itself to 212°-215° over time, so very drying. The warm setting should be about 165°, while still drying, it is much better. The caveat on all that is cheap crock pots use cheap thermostats and also put their heating element on the bottom of the crock pot instead of around the crock pot. So if you have a good newer crock pot, it will work ok.
Roasters are much more reliable if you have one or a serving tray.
Dan
Capspups says
This sounds like a good recipe if spices are kicked up. But, as a Latina I’ve got to say there’s NO heat in Cumin. None. I’ll make it using some Ancho Chile and Chipotle Chile powders for kick with cumin for that distinctive Mexican flavor.
Judy says
I wonder if the chicken wrapped with bacon could be frozen and thawed later. Then add the spices and cook.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Judy,
Welcome to the blog.
I have never done it but I see no reason it wouldn't work well. The chicken and bacon will both freeze will.
Dan
Meg Dolly says
Hi,
Is it okay to make this a few hours ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Meg,
Welcome to the blog.
That is how I usually do this. I like to serve them shortly after baking but I make a bit of a mess. So I tend to make them in the morning and cook before the party later in the day.
Dan
Brittany says
I make this, however, I do 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp Mccormick's Brown Sugar Bourbon seasoning. I also add several dashes of crushed red pepper and garlic powder. They have excellent flavor and the right amount of spiciness. I recommend cutting the bacon into thirds au they crisp nicely. I highly recommend trying them this way!
TckHutch says
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I have 'followed' it with these variations: using only chipolte pepper for a wonderful burn, baking them in a pan allowing them to sizzle in the bacon grease, making them on skewers (like shishkabob) for serving as a main dish. Baking layers of chicken, precooked bacon, spicey sugar when I do not have time to wrap the bits or if I have too many to make. I think all variations of bacon, chicken, sugar, and chipolte will make many tastebuds happy.
Packrat says
I make a similar wrap a LOT. To help get the bacon crispy when the chicken is at it's optimal doneness I give the bacon a head start before wrapping. Using thin bacon, cut the pack into thirds or halves. Wrap the third in two paper towels and nuke in the microwave for 55 seconds. If using bacon halves, nuke for 80 seconds. This gives the bacon a head start towards the finish line.
Valerie says
Hi . I made this yesterday using small sausages instead of chicken. BUT I only used 1 teaspoon of chilli. Here in Kenya (and the UK too) chilli is just about the hottest spice available. Cumin on the other hand is mild. So either you guys have mouths lined with steel or US chilli is something else.
DrDan says
As I get older, I'm more of a wimp when it comes to heat.
You are definitely correct. In America "chili powder" is a spice mix of ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano. There might be a few other spices added.
Dan
Mary Anne H says
I just made these. They tasted good but not very spicy and the bacon, having cut the strips in half left the bacon in the middle under cooked and chewy. Next time I will add a little more spice maybe some creole seasoning and cut the bacon strips in thirds so the bacon just covers the chicken once so its all crispy.
Rose Cobb says
Don't double roll the bacon I find that solves the uncooked bacon problem
Elle says
I would like to see this in a savory version. Like herb-crusted with hit mustard dipping sauce. I would have no idea how to go about it.
DrDan says
I'm not sure either but if you work it out, let me know.
Dan
Michael says
Hi, I tripled the batch. Found the chicken was a bit too dry at the time/temp suggested. Actually a bit bland too. We ended up serving it with a bbq sauce and it was ok. Thinking next time of reducing cooking time, adding more chilli powder, and maybe an oil marinade.
Julianna says
Just discovered your blog and it is amazing! I can't wait to try this recipe at our 4th of July party!
Carol says
I will definitely try these always looking for new appetizers
Thank you