Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders

4.75 from 4 votes

Smoky, savory, sweet, and just a little spicy—these Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders are the kind of appetizer or weeknight dinner that disappears fast. Whether you’re making them for game day, a casual gathering, or an easy dinner with a fun twist, this recipe delivers big flavor with minimal fuss. Serve them with this bold raspberry chipotle sauce that strikes the perfect balance between sweet heat and smoky flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Chicken and Turkey, Main Course / Entrees

Cuisine: Southwestern / Mexican

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion finely chopped (approximately 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bag (12-ounce) frozen raspberries
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar or as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tenders

1 package (8-ounce) chicken tenders
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices bacon or 1 per tender

Instructions

Sauce

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often until soft, approximately 8-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8-10 minutes or until thickened and reduced by 1/3. Remove from the heat and cool.
Puree in a food processor or blender.
Strain through a sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much sauce as possible. Serve sauce with chicken tenders.

Tenders

Season chicken tenders with salt and black pepper. (You may wish to lighten up on the salt as the bacon is salty.)
Wrap a bacon slice around each chicken tender.
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken tenders in the pan with the end of the bacon strip down. (This will help "seal" the bacon onto the chicken.)
Brown the chicken well on all sides until bacon is crisp and chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Use strawberries or blackberries in place of the raspberries.

TIP:

The easiest way I have found to remove the tendon without destroying the delicate tender is to cut it out with kitchen shears:

Hold the tip of the tendon with one hand and the kitchen shears in the other.
Run the open scissors along the tendon down to where it ends, snipping as you go.

MAKE AHEAD:

The sauce can be made 2-3 days in advance. Refrigerate until needed.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY:

The tenders and the sauce can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven.
The sauce can be reheated in the microwave.

AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS:

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Place the bacon-wrapped chicken tenders in the basket, leaving space between them so air can circulate. (You may need to work in batches.)
Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tenders are cooked through and the bacon is crispy.

Nutrition