If you’ve been harboring resentment against boneless, skinless chicken breasts, today is the day of reconciliation. 

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts have the (often justified) reputation for being mouth-suckingly dry and bland. I’ve even had ones that are weirdly rubbery!

Brining locks in the chicken’s juices. My Baked Chicken Breast and Air Fryer Chicken Breast take advantage of this easy, game-changing option.
Marinading both tenderizes and flavors the meat. This easy Chicken Marinade is my go-to.
Stuffing insulates the chicken from within. Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast uses this method.
Wrapping insulates the chicken from the outside, and bacon is especially effective (pecans are also a hit in my Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe). The bacon’s fat helps keep the chicken juicy.
It also doesn’t hurt that anything wrapped in bacon tastes uhhh-mazing. Case(s) in point: Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts.The contrast of the bacon’s crunch with the chicken’s juicy interior is a thing of beauty.

Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon
Lay the chicken seam-side down in a greased baking dish.
Sauce in a bowl
Stir together the maple syrup and vinegar.Even fully cooked chicken can still have a pink tinge to it. Your best bet for determining when chicken is safe to eat is to use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness.
Poultry is considered safe to eat when it reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest part. 

ALTERNATIVE COOKING METHODS
Grilled Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast:

Preheat an outdoor grill to 400 degrees F.
Season and wrap the chicken in bacon as directed. Brush the maple syrup mixture over the top and add black pepper (if using).
Lay the chicken breasts on the grill, then cover with the lid. 
Once it’s cooked through, remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Be sure to also check out these Grilled Chicken Tenders and Grilled Chicken Breast.

Bacon wrapped chicken breast cut into pieces on a plate
Side Dishes That Go Well With Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Salad. Enjoy bacon wrapped chicken with a side of Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomato or Pesto Potato Salad.
Rice. Serve this chicken over a bed of Lemon Rice or Broccoli Rice Casserole.
Mac and Cheese. Pair this dish with mac and cheese for a meal the entire family will enjoy! The Ultimate Creamy Mac & Cheese (4 Ways!) in my cookbook is the absolute best-ever.
Vegetables. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Crockpot Carrots would be scrumptious with this chicken.

Bacon wrapped chicken breasts in a pan
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate chicken in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
To Freeze. Freeze chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. 

MEAL PLAN TIP
Up to 1 day in advance, season the chicken breasts and wrap them in bacon. 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast

This easy bacon wrapped chicken breast recipe is fast and delicious! 

Ingredients

2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoon kosher salt plus additional for serving
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 8 ounces each
8 bacon slices not thick cut
5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Cracked black pepper optional
Chopped fresh chives for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, thyme, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
Spices in a bowl

Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the chicken evenly on both sides with thyme mixture, rubbing to coat.
Four chicken breasts covered in spices
Wrap 2 bacon slices around each breast, covering it as evenly as you can.
Chicken breasts being wrapped in bacon

Place the chicken breast, seam-side down, in the prepared dish.
Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon
To the same bowl you used for the seasonings, add the maple syrup and vinegar and stir to combine.
Sauce in a bowl
Brush the tops of the chicken with the maple syrup mixture. If desired, crack black pepper over the top.
Sauce being brushed onto meat
Bake the bacon wrapped chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 165 degrees F (I typically pull my chicken a few 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’d like to crisp the top of the bacon, switch the oven to broil. 
Remove the chicken from the oven and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of additional salt.  Sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!