Bacon-Wrapped Roasted Chicken Breast with Brown Sugar and Herbs

baconwrappedchickenbreastsroasted This chicken wrapped in bacon is first seasoned with spices and then wrapped in bacon. Then baked on a wire rack at high heat for crispy bacon on the outside and tender chicken breast on the inside.

4 (6 oz) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
¼ tsp. ground paprika
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
8-12 pieces bacon, medium cut

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6). Line a baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe rack over the baking sheet.

If the breasts are uneven in thickness, place them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even 1” thickness using the flat side of a meat pounder.

Combine all of the spices into a small bowl and mix.

Then, season each chicken breast with 1 tsp. of the spice mixture, making sure to get both sides. Save the remaining spices for later.

Next, wrap each chicken breast with 2-3 pieces of bacon depending on how big they are. Start at one end and move to the other. Transfer each bacon wrapped chicken breast to the wire rack.

Sprinkle the tops of the chicken breasts with the remaining seasoning.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 165°F (I typically pull my chicken 5°F degrees early, then let the carryover cooking finish the rest). Brush the chicken with the liquid that has collected at the bottom of the pan halfway through.

If you like the bacon to be extra crispy, switch the oven to broil. Broil the chicken for 1-3 minutes, or until it is crisped to your liking.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Bacon: make sure not to use thick-cut bacon or it will not crisp up like it you want it to.
Sweet and Savoury: for a sweet and savoury flavour, sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of each chicken breast before baking.
A wire rack is extremely important for crispy bacon. We tested this recipe with and without a wire rack and found that the only way to get the entire chicken breast nice and crispy is to use one. Don't forget to line your baking sheet with tin foil.
Air fryer directions: Air fry at 400ºF for around 7 minutes, flip and cook for 3 more minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the internal temperature is 165ºF.