Need an easy party appetizer? These bacon wrapped chicken bites disappear fast—juicy chicken, crisp bacon, and a sweet-and-spicy brown sugar crust. They’re simple to prep ahead, hold well on a tray, and don’t need a sauce—just grab a toothpick and go.
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Featured Comment by Jamie:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"These are so yummy and so easy to make!"
✅ TL;DR (Recipe Summary)
What it is: Sweet-and-spicy bacon wrapped chicken bites coated in brown sugar and chili powder. Juicy chicken, crisp bacon, and a candy-like crust.
Why you’ll love it: Simple prep, oven-baked, and party-ready. No sauce needed, easy to make ahead, and always the first appetizer to disappear.
How to make it: Cut chicken, wrap with bacon, roll in brown sugar + chili powder, and bake at 350° convection until crisp and 165°F internal.
Jump to the Recipe Card or keep reading for tips, variations, and serving ideas.
🐓 Ingredients
- Chicken – Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Trim and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Bacon – Regular or thick-cut both work. Trim and thin thicker slices with a knife for easier wrapping.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark; dark gives a deeper molasses flavor.
- Chili powder – Adds flavor and a little warmth, not much heat.
- Ground cumin – Optional, but gives a warm, earthy note.
- Cayenne pepper (optional) – Add ¼ teaspoon if you want more kick.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites
1. Prepare ingredients
Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
Trim and halve bacon strips—thin with a knife if needed.
✅ Pro Tip: Start with thick-cut bacon so you can trim fat and thin the slices—it wraps better and crisps more evenly.
Mix brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and optional cayenne.
2. Assembly and coating
Wrap each chicken piece with bacon and secure with a toothpick.
✅ Pro Tip: You can assemble up to 24 hours ahead. Refrigerate tightly covered, then coat and bake later.
Roll each bite in the sugar-spice mix, pressing some into the ends.
Arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet with a rack, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (like PAM).
3. Bake and serve
Bake at 350° convection (375° conventional) for about 35 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the internal temp reaches 165°.
Serve warm, or keep them hot with a griddle, crock pot, or low oven (see tips below).
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips, variations, and serving ideas.
🤔 Options and Flavor Variations
- Use chicken breasts or thighs – Raw boneless, skinless pieces only. Thighs work well too—cook to 165°, but they’ll be more tender around 180°.
- Spice it your way – Cumin is optional but adds a warm, earthy flavor. Want heat? Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper—or more if you're feeling bold.
- Thick-cut bacon works best – Trim a bit of fat and thin it with a knife. It wraps better and stays in place during baking.
- Light or dark brown sugar – Both work—dark brings a deeper molasses flavor and gives the coating its signature sticky-crisp finish.
- Use a rack if you can – It’s optional, but highly recommended. It keeps the bites out of the bacon grease and helps them crisp up all around.
📅 Making Them Ahead of Time
You can assemble the chicken bites up to 24 hours in advance—just don’t coat them with the sugar and spice mixture yet.
Wrap each chicken piece in bacon, secure with a toothpick, and store them in an airtight container or cover tightly on a tray. Refrigerate until you're ready to coat and bake.
When it's go time, roll them in the sugar-spice mix and bake as directed.
✅ Pro Tip: Don’t coat early—the sugar can draw out moisture and leave the bacon soft instead of crisp.
♨️ How to Keep Bacon Chicken Bites Warm for Serving
Keeping these bites warm can be tricky, especially at parties. An electric griddle on the warm setting works great for small batches.
For larger servings, use a crock pot on low with crumpled foil in the bottom to keep the bites out of the drained fat.
If you're serving at home, a low oven (around 200°F) will also keep them warm without drying them out—just cover loosely with foil.
✅ Food Safety Tip: If they’ll be out for more than 2 hours, keep the temperature above 140°F to stay safe—though honestly, they rarely last that long.
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📋 Appetizer and Party Recipes
Looking for more easy party favorites? Try these reader-loved recipes:
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings – Classic game day food.
- Lemon Squares – Bright, tangy, and make-ahead friendly.
- Cheesecake Bars – Rich, creamy, and easier than a full cheesecake.
- Candied Almonds – Sweet, crunchy, and dangerously snackable.
- Candied Bacon – Bacon… but candy. Need we say more?
❄️ Storing Leftovers and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To freeze, spread the bites on a tray to freeze individually for a few hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, until hot and sizzling again.
❓ FAQs
If you're using thinner bacon, no need to thin it further. But very thick bacon may take too long to crisp, overcooking the chicken in the process.
I prefer thick-cut bacon—thinning it slightly makes the slices wider, which gives better coverage and helps everything cook evenly.
After baking, keep them warm in a low oven, a crock pot with foil at the bottom, or on a griddle. You can also make them ahead: assemble up to 24 hours in advance, then coat and bake right before serving.
A: The brown sugar caramelizes into a crisp coating while the chili powder adds depth and mild heat. Together they give the sweet-spicy balance people love in appetizers. A similar coating also works on other bites—try it with small sausages or even tofu.
⚕️ Chicken Food Safety Tips
- Always treat raw chicken as contaminated—wash your hands and any surfaces it touches.
- Don’t rinse raw chicken—it can spread bacteria through splashing water. (See: Chicken: To Rinse or Not to Rinse?)
- Cook to 165°F for safety, and keep them above 140°F if they’ll be out during a party.
📖The Recipe Card
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites (Sweet, Spicy & Easy)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts - cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 pound bacon - buy good quality
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- Clean and trim about 1¼ pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Trim and halve bacon strips. If using thick-cut, thin them with the back of a chef’s knife and trim excess fat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional).
Assembly and coating
- Wrap each chicken cube with a bacon strip and secure 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 foil-lined baking sheet with a rack and spray with PAM.
- Roll the wrapped bites in the sugar-spice mix, packing some into the ends. Place on the rack.
Bake and serve
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Bake until golden brown and at a 165° internal temperature for about 35 minutes.
- Serve warm, or keep hot on a griddle, in a crock pot, or a 200°F oven.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- If using thick-cut bacon, flatten it slightly to make wrapping easier and trim some fat.
- Chicken thighs work well too, but cook to 180° for tenderness. You can also try mini sausages as a variation.
- * The cayenne is optional—add if you like heat.
- Make-ahead tip: Assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Wait to coat until right before baking.
- For serving, keep warm using a griddle, crock pot with foil, or a low oven. See the post for some food safety guidelines.
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.
Deb says
I made these last night with chicken thighs (because that's all I had), and made these as a main dish. It turned out absolutely amazing!! For those of you wondering if you should add the cumin, YES, add it, it totally makes the dish! I increased the cooking time to about 50-55 minutes. I will definitely be making these again! Thank you for the recipe! :)
Judy says
Hi Dr. Dan, I have a regular convention oven should I add 10 minutes to cooking time? Looks yummy good!
DrDan says
I would probably up the temp to 375 and keep the time about the same.
Dan
nicole says
I followed this recipe to a T and I thought it was pretty bland and the bacon wasn't crispy enough without drying out the chicken. wont make it again.
Jimmy says
Hey, Dr. Dan!
I didn't see any replies regarding maybe cooking these on a bbq grill.
Think it would work?
Going on a vacation where we'll have a gas grill, and hoping to throw them on!
Thanks=
Jimmy
DrDan says
I would worry about grilling. All that sugar will burn quickly before the chicken would cook. If I was to try it, I would try indirect heat at about 400 degrees and some of that no stick grill foil with coat of PAM...just thinking out loud. If you try it please post results.
DrDan
Matt says
Great recipe! I did add a 1/4 t of cayenne pepper and went with 1 1/2 T of chili powder with 1/2 T of Chipotle chili powder. Will definately add this to the rotation.
DrDan says
That sounds great. Never be afraid to change the spicing to match your taste.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Tracy says
I have used water chesnuts instead of Chicken and they are DELISH! Cant wait to try this recipe, Bacon seems to make everything good! Wonder if Turkey breasts and Turkey bacon would work, may have to try it!
Karley says
Made this last night for the first time because I wanted to make something with chicken and bacon.
Saw this recipe and I knew I needed to make it. I only had Golden Brown sugar but I really dont think it changed it too much, my Fiance L.O.V.E.D this! I do too! I think I'll add a bit more spice to it as we like stuff with a bit more heat, but I could make this over and over and over again! Im actually making it tonight for a party! Hahah. Thanks for the delicious Recipe!
DrDan says
Karley
Thanks so much for the comment and rating.
DrDan
Katrena Thomas says
I'm wondering if I can make these in advance and freeze them, without the sauce of course. I planning a baby shower for my daughter and I'm looking for things I can prep in advance so I don't have too much prep work to do the day of the shower. Thoughts?
DrDan says
I'm sure it would work. Freeze on a tray then seal well. Apply the sugar and spice after thawing.
DrDan
Barbara Fritsche says
These are awesome and so easy to make. I big hit with everyone. Thanks!!
DrDan says
Thanks for the comment.
DrDan
Mark says
I make these all the time for pot lucks. For the questions of how to keep warm till served? I just simply make these a day or two ahead of the party, keep in the fridge covered, and then load into a big crock pot, take to work and plug in, turn on to low setting and in a couple hours these things are ready to be devoured! I even sprinkle a little more of the spice mix on as I layer them in the pot. Do not try to cook in the crock pot, only use it to warm them up. A rack in the bottom of the pot will help the last few from drowning in the juices and grease. I never have had any left to bring back home!
DrDan says
Great tip on the warmup. Thanks so much for the note and rating.
DrDan
Jamie says
These are so yummy and so easy to make! I add a dash (or two) of cayenne for a little added heat. I think it's important to note that you must use thin sliced bacon - the cheap stuff is the best! If you use thick cut they will be way too hard and chewy.
Rosemary says
My daughter-in-law hates chicken. Can I use boneless turkey breast. Should I season the turkey breast? Please respond need the info today. Thank you
DrDan says
Turkey would be fine... A touch of salt and pepper if you want but no salt if the turkey was injected or brined.
Have a great holiday.
DrDan
AJax says
What kind of dip would you suggest to go along with this?
DrDan says
We are not dippers so I have no inspired answer. They disappear almost immediately without dip and are the first empty plate at parties.
DrDan
cindy says
do you have to put on wire rack or can put right on foil lined baking sheet? Or maybe a baking dish?
DrDan says
The rack will help a lot.The bacon will create fat drainage.The rack will keep them out of that. Not to mention them sticking to the foil or pan.
DrDan
Chris says
Pan lined with foil will make it easier for clean up later.
Mary says
Love that your recipes are simple and that you show the picture of the necessary ingredients grouped together. I remember my mom using Tone's spices but cannot find them at my supermarket. Do you know where I might find these?
Thank you
DrDan says
Hi Mary,
Welcome to the blog.
Those came from Sams Club. So if Sams has Tones spices, then I would expect Walmart to but I don't shop there.
I have also seen them in Hy-Vee stores in Iowa but haven't been back to Iowa in a few years.
I think Penzeys spices are better and cheaper. I travel 40 miles to one a couple of times per year.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Sherly says
Hi, is big T for tablespoon and little t for teaspoon?
or was it a typo and both are tablespoon?
DrDan says
T is tablespoon. t is teaspoon. It an old standard abbreviation. I have it covered in the FAQs. In the first few years of this blog I used them all the time. Anymore I spell them out since it seems to be one of the more frequent questions.
DrDan
Letty says
This sounds delicious!!!!
I like spicy foods but my hubby doesn't. Anyone know what mixture might be good that isn't spicy that I could make for him?
I'll definitely make MINE spicy though :)
DrDan says
The cumin is the "spicy" but it really is not that spicy. Keep everything else the same.
DrDan
Chris says
I tried this recipe tonight. To me it’s amazing. Not spicy at all, but if you like spicy add about 1/4 tspoon of cayenne pepper. That should spice it up. Or your favorite hot spice. PersonLly I like Krystal hot sauce. It’s yummy to me.