Get your taste buds ready for Sweet Heat BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites! With a touch of chipotle chili powder and sweet BBQ sauce, this appetizer is mouth-watering delicious!…. and yes, it’s as good as you think it is!

We’re already gearing up for the big game with ALL the appetizers including Garlic Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, Pull-Apart Garlic Bread with Blue Cheese, and Pub-Style Beer Cheese Dip.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites on platter

Sweet Heat BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

BACON BACON and more BACON!

Now that I have your attention let’s talk about how mouthwateringly delicious these BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites are! They start out with a piece of chicken that’s been seasoned to add the perfect punch. Then you wrap them in what I like to call a little piece of heaven (bacon), brush them with BBQ sauce and bake them! Take your first bite and the obsession will follow soon! 

These little appetizers are sure to be a popular appetizer at any party or gathering! Place them on a simple serving plate and watch these savory BBQ chicken bites disappear in minutes! You might want to just go ahead and make a double or even triple batch. Trust me, everyone will thank you. 

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites on sheet pan right out of the oven

How To Make BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

When it comes to bacon chicken bites you’ll find there are a million and one ways to prepare them. None of which are necessarily better than the rest, but I have a particular weakness for the sweet and spicy combo. Sweet with a little bit of Spice.

You’ll notice that I keep the spices mixed separately from the brown sugar instead of having them all mixed into one. This is because sprinkling them with the brown sugar last lets the sugar caramelize the bacon and chicken as a whole while it cooks.

That’s why you’ll place chicken in a medium-sized bowl; sprinkle with the spices and toss to coat. Wrap a bacon piece around each chicken cube; secure with a toothpick and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle bacon-wrapped chicken with brown sugar. Place into oven and bake. Then remove the pan from the oven and brush the wrapped chicken piece with BBQ sauce and bake again. Serve immediately, garnish with chives, if desired!

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites on parchment lined pan

Other Ways To Serve BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Put on skewers and cook on the grill for kabobs

  • thread the wrapped chicken pieces onto skewers (pre-soaked, if they’re wooden).
  • Place the kebabs on a preheated grill.
  • Cook for about 8-10 minutes, turning one-quarter turn every 2 to 2½ minutes until nearly cooked through.
  • Brush the kebabs with the barbecue sauce and cook for an additional minute on each side.
  • Remove the kebabs from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Brush the kebabs with the barbecue sauce and cook for an additional minute on each side.

Cut the chicken into strips instead of cubes. 

  • Cut the chicken breasts into equal sized strips, or buy an equal weight if pre-cut chicken tenderloins 
  • Follow the recipe card below for further preparation instructions
  • Bake for about 13-16 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the bacon.
BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites stacked on a plate

Choosing the Best BBQ Sauce for Your Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

There might be a lot of flavor components in this recipe, but we all know the BBQ sauce is what’s really going to make or break the whole dish The right sauce can make meat taste as if a first-class chef prepared it. A very salty (or hot) sauce can ruin the whole taste of the meat, so be careful in choosing a good BBQ sauce.

There are two options in getting a BBQ sauce. You can either make a homemade barbecue sauce or get one from the grocery store.

Know your preferences. Know what kind of taste you’ll like in BBQ sauce. There is a lot of BBQ sauce available in the market, and they all vary in the level of taste from smoky, to sweet, to spicy, and so on. Go in knowing what you and or the people you’re serving will like best.

Read the label. Frequently, ingredients and the level of taste were indicated on the label. The ingredients used in the sauce can give you an idea what it might taste like.

Check the BBQ sauce’s intended purpose. Some brands of BBQ sauce are suited for everything, but there are others that are made for a single purpose and not intended for others. There are specific sauces out there that will be better for certain types of meat. So pay attention, and you’ll be in good shape!

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites on plate with red checked napkin

You Won’t Want to Miss Even More Chicken Dishes

Chicken Enchilada Puffs This recipe takes something as good as chicken enchiladas and turns them into finger food! Perfect for dinner or an appetizer!

Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Great for feeding a crowd! This nachos recipe is just AMAZING! Easy sheet pan nachos are so delicious, and perfect for any occasion.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Crowd-pleasing meatballs with ranch have all the flavors of buffalo hot wings, without the guilt. If you’re a fan of buffalo chicken wings, you’re going to want this finger-lickin’ good recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie Crescent Bread A super easy and delicious dinner all wrapped up in a gorgeous crescent braid!

Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken This recipe cooks up on the grill in under 10 minutes!  Mix up the marinade in the morning and toss it on the grill for a quick, easy, healthy and delicious chicken dinner.

One Pot Paprika Chicken Thighs Made with potatoes and carrots, this recipe is flavorful, healthy, and good enough for company! Try it on served in rice, quinoa, or farro. You can use white grape juice in place of the white wine.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Will Be Your New Obsession

This bacon wrapped check bites recipe is too easy to pass up! Whether you’re looking for a last-minute party appetizer to bring, or you want a little weekend snack at home, this recipe is what you need! You’re going to love it from the moment you smell it baking in the oven! I can’t wait to hear how much you love them!

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites photo collage
Sweet Heat BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Sweet Heat BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Get your taste buds ready for Sweet Heat BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites! With a touch of chipotle chili powder and sweet BBQ sauce, this appetizer is mouth-wateringly delicious!.... and yes, it’s as good as you think it is!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into
  • 1/2 Tablespoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 slices bacon, cut into thirds
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce (we use Sweet Baby Rays)
  • fresh chives to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F and line a large backing sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place chicken in a medium-sized bowl; sprinkle with chili powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder and toss to coat. Wrap a bacon piece around each chicken cube; secure with a toothpick. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle bacon wrapped chicken with brown sugar. Place into oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove pan from oven, brush wrapped chicken piece with BBQ sauce. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink and bacon is crisp. (if you want them extra crispy, broil for 5-8 minutes, watching closely)
  5. Serve immediately, garnish with chives, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 233Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 805mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 22g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

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