Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken is ready in 10 minutes! How can you possibly go wrong with a chicken recipe that’s ready fast and tastes amazing? How about we wrap the chicken in bacon and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top? Let me show you how to make this delicious recipe that’s perfect for dinner or snacking. 

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I’ve had my air fryer for almost two years and haven’t really used that much except to make tater tots and mozzarella sticks. Well, that all changed last week when I put together this delicious recipe for Air Fryer BBQ Chicken. 

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

First, I need to point out that if you do not have an air fryer, don’t worry! There are instructions below for baking the chicken in the oven.

You won’t believe how delicious this chicken is. The flavor is so intense and yet the chicken is incredibly tender and juicy. Using the air fryer does not dry chicken out. Which is what I thought would happen. 

This recipe is very similar to my Bacon Wrapped Crock Pot Chicken, only it’s ready fast. The recipe takes about five minutes to assemble and then ten minutes of cooking in the air fryer. You can have dinner or a family snack ready in 15 minutes following this recipe. 

You can serve the homemade dipping sauces alongside the cooked chicken. They’re perfect for dipping! 

Is air fried chicken healthy?

Cooking anything in the air fryer requires less oil than if you were going to fry foods traditionally, which right away makes the food healthier. Using an air fryer to cook chicken and other foods can help you cut calories by not using the added fat from oil. 

This is the Hamiliton Beach Air Fryer that I use and while the basket is not as big as I would like, it works great! 

Ingredients 

Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – you can use chicken tenders, but all I had in my freezer was chicken breasts. 
• Sliced bacon
• Barbecue sauce – your favorite brand. I like this bbq sauce. It’s our favorite brand or try my Homemade Barbecue Sauce that’s made with only three ingredients.
• Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar if that’s what you have in your pantry. 
• Salt and pepper to taste – I love using my Homemade Salt, Pepper Garlic seasoning blend. 

Directions 

Begin by cutting the boneless chicken breasts into strips. I like to lay my raw chicken and meat on Parchment Baking Sheets to make cleanup easier. It also helps keeps surfaces sanitary and not spread any germs. 

Slice the bacon strips in half. One full slice of bacon was just a bit too big for the chicken strips I cut. Remember, we’re making chicken “bites.” Wrap a half of bacon slice around each piece of chicken and place on a clean plate. 

I have made this recipe two times now and didn’t need toothpicks at all to hold the bacon in place. 

How to Add the Barbecue Sauce

The best way to add the barbecue sauce is to use a pastry brush to cover the surface of the chicken. Turn the chicken over and brush the other side as well with the barbecue sauce. At this point in  preparing the chicken, you can sprinkle with salt and pepper or use my Seasoning Salt Blend. 

Now, add the brown sugar. You don’t really need to add brown sugar if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, but I think a little sprinkle adds to the flavor. We’re only using 2 tablespoons for the whole recipe. 

Chicken Bites are ready for the air fryer! 

How to Bake the Chicken in the Air Fryer

Place the chicken into the air fryer basket that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Close the tray and bake for 5 minutes in the 400 degrees preheated air fryer.

Open the air fryer and flip the chicken pieces. Close the air fryer and cook the chicken for the remaining 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees.

Make sure you use a Digital Meat Thermometer to accurately test if the chicken is fully cooked. 

How do I know when my Chicken is Done?

Always use a Digital Meat Thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. As you can see from the photo below, the chicken is reading at 168 degrees. It’s cooked perfect! 

How to cook chicken in the oven

I know some people do not have an air fryer and I wanted to included instructions on how to bake this barbecue chicken wrapped in bacon recipe the traditional way…in the oven.

Prepare the chicken as instructed above.

Then place the chicken bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray).

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

Can I cook frozen chicken in air fryer?

I would not recommend cooking this chicken recipe frozen only because you need to increase the time for the chicken and I’m not sure how the bacon will hold up to a longer cooking time. 

However, you can follow another recipe and cook frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins in the air fryer. Cook them for 15 minutes at 360 degrees stopping halfway through to flip the chicken breasts. 

Always use a Digital Meat Thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is at 165 degrees to be safe. 

Did you make this recipe?

Did you try this recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and don’t forget to rate it! Tag @Lois_walkingonsunshinerecipes on Instagram and hashtag it #walkingonsunshinerecipes

Serve these Delicious BBQ Chicken Bite with one of these Yummy Side Dishes: 

• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus
• German Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Fiesta Corn Salad