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Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Serve these chicken tenders with a side salad and roasted potatoes for dinner.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders

Everyday Food editor in chief Sarah Carey shows you the secret to making super-fast, super-flavorful chicken that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

Everyday Food, December 2010
  • Prep Time 20 minutes
  • Total Time 20 minutes
  • Yield Serves 4
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Ingredients

  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 8 chicken tenders (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes. With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain.

Recipe Reviews

  • Mamma44
    14 Jul, 2012

    I made these this week and I did not use the sage leaves; I used a little ground sage instead and the kids LOVED THEM! They are getting bored with the standard meals and I thought it was time to shake some things up! This is a KEEPER! Browsing your recipes and i just subscribed to this Everyday Food and I have Whole Living Subscription as well! Thank You... :)

  • angeliqueS0616
    2 Jul, 2012

    This is almost a staple in our house. But after we wrap the breast tenderloins and securing the bacon with toothpicks, we marinate in a mixture of zesty italian dressing and a dash of worshteshire sauce. Before you take the chicken up from the skillet you can hold the side down for a few seconds to crisp the bacon. Delicioso!!!

  • socreative4u
    20 Jun, 2012

    Sarah, love your new videos, they are great for college students who are apprehensive about cooking alone without mom in the kitchen to help. There will be some much healthier college students this year.

  • adizzle917
    18 Jun, 2012

    I used Bar S bacon. I seasoned the chicken with cracked pepper and sea salt. I used a capful of smart balance oil. I flipped the chicken over every 5-7 minutes for bacon readiness. End result was AMAZING, though my chicken may have been a bit over cooked.
    Still amazing.

  • adizzle917
    18 Jun, 2012

    I used Bar S bacon. I seasoned the chicken with cracked pepper and sea salt. I used a capful of smart balance oil. I flipped the chicken over every 5-7 minutes for bacon readiness. End result was AMAZING, though my chicken may have been a bit over cooked.
    Still amazing.

  • adizzle917
    18 Jun, 2012

    I cut my chicken into tenders, seasoned with cracked pepper and sea salt.. and wrapped them with bacon. I put a capful of smart ball. oil. Let it heat up, then placed my bacon covered chicken in the pan. Left it in there with the top on for 7-8 minutes, filpped the pieces over for another 5 minutes (and repeated this for bacon cookedness). I wanted to make sure the bacon was cooked, so that's what I looked for. My chicken may have been slightly overcooked, but who cares. End result was AMAZING!!

  • Shannon Parker
    18 Jun, 2012

    In order to get the bacon crispy, make sure your slices are really thin. If you use thick slices, it will take a lot longer to cook and it won't get very crispy. You can tell by the picture that the bacon they use to cook with is very thin. Also, cooking with a cast iron skillet will also help the bacon crisp while cooking.

  • Ubruni
    12 Jun, 2012

    Unwrap bacon from chicken, discard chicken, eat bacon.

    Is there a way to bake or roast the chicken to get the bacon crispy? This seems like a common problem with bacon-wrapped stuff -- good in theory but reality is more rubbery.

  • minnesotacats67
    7 Jun, 2012

    Bacon is not cooked on the sides. Yuck!

  • psakkerman
    6 Jun, 2012

    I made this for my husband and it was too salty with the bacon and I couldn't get the bacon crisp. We don't usually like salty dishes. I will add a variable to this dish in the future with cooking the bacon into small crispy bits and after cooking the chicken tenders, add the bacon on top with a spicy mustard sauce drizzled on top.

  • Suzanne Et Phylippe R
    3 Jun, 2012

    i forgot to say put chilli powder and all that on the chicken before putting the bacon

  • Suzanne Et Phylippe R
    3 Jun, 2012

    To make this ever BETTER put chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper (the amount you like) then put the bacon around the chicken then roll that in brown sugar. it will be sweet and spicy chcken tenders. it is so good

  • mjashby
    3 Jun, 2012

    Not what I expected. The bacon isn't crisp all around and it just seemed to be missing something.

  • ltsering
    1 Mar, 2012

    Fantastic!
    Now my little boy loves sage, too, thanks to this awesome recipe.
    Another cool thing about this dish is that you don't need to use toothpicks or anything to keep the bacon on. It just stays on there.
    It takes a little bit longer than 10 minutes too cook, so leave yourself some wiggle room to get the bacon fully cooked.
    Actually, you can make this with 1/2 a slice of bacon per chicken tender, and it will be just as delicious. Just gently stretch the bacon while wrapping it.

  • RachealR
    18 Nov, 2011

    Made this for my family and they LOVED it! Served it with a brush of a cayenne BBQ sauce I made and it gave it a nice kick!

  • singlecancook
    12 Sep, 2011

    This a great and fast cook for single meals. I made it with smoked bacon and a side of honey mustard. Thank you Martha and Everyday Food!