Paula Deen Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

Paula Deen sweet chicken bacon wraps take 20 minutes and just four ingredients to make a crispy, brown sugar glazed bite-size appetizer from chicken breast and bacon. It's an easy party appetizer for game day, potluck or holiday table spreads, and it feeds 10 people.

Cut the chicken into true 1-inch cubes and wrap each one snugly in a third of a bacon slice. Oversized chunks stay raw in the middle by the time the bacon crisps, so keep them small.

Paula bakes these on a rack set inside a broiler pan, so the bacon fat drips away and each wrap crisps on every side. Dredging in a brown sugar and chili powder mix gives them a sweet, lightly spicy crust that plain bacon wraps don't get.

Paula Deen Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

180

kcal

Chicken cubes wrapped in bacon turn crisp outside and juicy inside, with a sticky brown sugar and chili powder crust. Baking them on a rack lets the bacon fat drip off so nothing turns greasy.

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb) package sliced bacon
  

• 1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless (about 4) chicken breast
  

• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds so every piece is ready to wrap.
• Wrap the chicken: Wrap each chicken cube with a piece of bacon and secure it with a wooden pick. Do this for all the cubes before moving on, so the dredging goes quickly.
• Mix the coating: Stir together 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons chili powder in a shallow dish. Make sure the chili powder is evenly mixed in, so every wrap gets the same kick.
• Dredge the wraps: Dredge each wrapped chicken piece in the brown sugar mixture until it is well coated. Then press lightly so the sugar clings to the bacon.
• Set up the pan: Coat a rack and broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then place the coated wraps on the rack in the broiler pan.
• Bake until crisp: Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes. They are done when the bacon is crisp and the sugar coating has turned deep and sticky.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Checkered Chef cooling racks. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, boneless, skinless thighs work, and they stay a bit juicier than breast meat. Cut them into the same 1-inch cubes so the bacon crisps by the time the chicken cooks through.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can wrap the chicken and secure it with the picks a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. I'd wait to dredge in the brown sugar mixture until right before baking, since the sugar can turn damp and sticky as it sits.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat them within a couple of days. Reheat them in a hot oven rather than the microwave, because the oven brings back some of the bacon's crispness.

Do I need a rack and broiler pan?

The rack lets the bacon fat drip away so the wraps crisp on all sides. If you don't have a broiler pan, a cooling rack set inside a rimmed sheet pan does the same job.

Why isn't my bacon getting crisp?

The most common cause is wrapping with thick-cut bacon or packing the wraps too tightly on the rack. Use regular sliced bacon and leave a little space between the pieces so the heat can circulate.