Oven Baked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

This bacon wrapped chicken thighs recipe is a simple weeknight meal. Tender chicken thighs paired with the delicious flavor of bacon create the perfect dinner in less than one hour. Add your favorite side dishes, and you’re set.

 

The reason that chicken is so popular is because it’s so versatile to make. From Chicken Street Tacos to Baked Chicken Cutlets, chicken can literally take on any flavor and taste.

But when it comes to boneless chicken thighs specifically, we also love this chicken thighs and gravy recipe!

🧾 Ingredients Needed

I’ve highlighted a couple of ingredients with some relevant notes. Aside from this, the ingredients are common.

• Chicken thighs – If you’re not familiar with using chicken thighs, you may be surprised to hear that thighs can be extremely flavorful and juicy compared to chicken breasts. We love using thighs in recipes, such as these Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, because they turn out so juicy and sometimes, are more affordable than breasts.
• Brown sugar – You can also use coconut sugar if you’re looking for a paleo recipe.
• Bacon – Thin bacon is really the best option for this recipe. Thicker bacon can cook for the full 30 minutes and still be soggy. You want the timing for the bacon and chicken to work out perfectly so that they are both done at the same time, so thin is the way to go. If you like extra crispy bacon, you can pan-sear the bacon for several minutes (you do not want to cook it fully just help the process along)right before wrapping the chicken thighs(allowing the bacon to cool before handling).
• Dijon mustard – this adds flavor and helps the seasoning adhere to the chicken; however, avoid adding too much so that the bacon does not become crisp. There is no need to add mustard to the side of the chicken that will be folded to be on the inside when cooking.

📖 Substitutions

Sometimes substitutions are necessary because of ingredients that are unavailable or because you prefer to change things up. Here are some suggestions that can help:

• Chicken breasts – Chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs, however, they can vary significantly in size so you may need to wrap the breast with several slices of bacon ensuring that the bacon does not overlap. Chicken breasts will cook quicker if the chicken breasts are small (about the same size as thighs).
  Because of the variation in cook time, be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Avoid overcooking because chicken breasts are leaner, they can become dry if overcooked.
• Use regular mustard – If you don’t have Dijon mustard, you can use regular mustard in its place.
• Use seasoned bacon – Maple bacon would be really good with this dish!

🍳 Equipment

• tinfoil
• wire baking rack
• mixing bowl

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make Bacon Wrapped Boneless Chicken Thighs

You’ll start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

STEP 1: Prepare a baking sheet. Add tinfoil to the baking sheet and then place a wired baking rack on top of the foil.

STEP 2: Mix the seasonings. In a bowl, mix the kosher salt, coconut sugar, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and ground mustard. Stir so everything is combined well.

STEP 3: Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs with a clean paper towel and then place them on a plate with the exterior surface of the thighs facing up. Coat the exterior surface with mustard, and then sprinkle the spice rub mixture on top of the mustard.

STEP 4: Fold the chicken. Once the thighs are seasoned, fold them in half so that the seasoned thighs are the only part exposed. Wrap each thigh with a piece of bacon, but don’t overlap the bacon.

TIP: Toothpicks can be used to secure the bacon, but I found them to be more of a hassle than helpful.

Put the thighs on the wire baking rack, keeping the chicken as flat as possible. Repeat with all the thighs, and leave 2 inches in between.

STEP 5: Cook. Place the thighs in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The bacon should be crisp, and the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees. Remove and serve.

❄️ How to Store and Reheat

• Storage: Store these chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days of cooking. (Keep in mind the “sell by” or “use by” date on the chicken.)
• Reheat: Since this recipe has bacon in it, it is best to reheat it in the air fryer or oven. Microwaving works too if you don’t mind soft bacon. To reheat, place the chicken in the oven or air fryer at 400 F and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is warm and the bacon is crispy. When reheating, note that the bacon can burn at this temperature if cooked for too long.

📋 Recipe FAQs

🥗 What to Serve with Chicken Thighs

This bacon-wrapped chicken pairs amazing with a green salad recipe and this focaccia bread recipe. Or, you can also dip it in this jalapeno ranch dressing for an added kick!

🍗 More Delicious Chicken Recipes

If you love this easy chicken dinner as much as we do, here are other chicken recipes we think you’ll love:

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

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