Ingredients
Method
- Pat your chicken breasts or tenders dry with paper towels and season them on both sides with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Wrap each piece of chicken breast with 3-4 slices of bacon, ensuring the pieces of bacon overlap slightly and cover the chicken completely. You might need to secure each slice of bacon with toothpicks. Tenders may require fewer slices.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for about 3 minutes.
- Place the bacon-wrapped chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they do not overlap. Air fry them at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes.
- Using tongs, carefully turn each chicken breast over and air fry them at 350°F (175°C) for another 15 minutes.
- Increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F (200°C). Cook them for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Let the crispy bacon chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy your delicious air fryer bacon-wrapped chicken!
Notes
Chicken Breasts (or chicken tenderloins): Provide a lean, tender base that pairs well with the rich bacon. Chicken tenders can be used as a smaller, quicker-cooking alternative. If you don't have chicken breasts, chicken strips, boneless thighs can be a great substitute, offering a slightly richer flavor.
Bacon: Bacon adds a smoky, savory flavor and a crispy texture that contrasts beautifully with the tender chicken. If you prefer a lighter option, you can use turkey bacon, which will still provide a similar effect without as much fat. For this recipe, I used thick-cut bacon but you can use thin-cut bacon.
Salt and Pepper: These basic seasonings enhance the natural flavors of the chicken and bacon. Bacon tends to be salty so I recommend using the salt sparingly.
Garlic Powder: Garlic powder adds a savory flavor that complements the chicken and bacon.
Onion Powder: Onion powder provides a sweet and tangy flavor that enhances the complexity of your air fryer bacon-wrapped chicken. It also ensures even distribution of taste. If it's unavailable, use onion flakes.
Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme, Italian seasoning adds a fragrant, herbaceous note to this easy recipe. You can substitute it with a mix of your favorite dried herbs or you can use a store-bought pre-made poultry seasoning.