Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites Appetizers

The best bacon wrapped chicken bites are made with 4 simple ingredients, but are full of texture and flavor. Salty bacon, crunchy water chestnuts, and pickled jalapeno come together to make these chicken appetizers perfect for game day parties and backyard cookouts.

bacon wrapped chicken bites

These are similar to jalapeno poppers but even better! They’re a unique family recipe and I’m going to declare them to be the BEST casual party food! Especially for a football or Super Bowl party, and casual cookouts.

They’re meaty with a little heat from pickled jalapenos. But my favorite part of all is the crunch you get when you bite into the water chestnut. It’s just a party in your mouth and we’re always fighting over the last one!

Why you’ll love bacon wrapped chicken bites 

Tons of flavor. It starts with chicken breast meat wrapped in bacon, and you get a surprise crunch inside.

Crowd pleaser recipe. These are dairy free, gluten free, and keto diet friendly. And even the kids love them.

Versatile. Bacon makes them a great choice for early mornings or mid-afternoons. And that makes them perfect for brunch, tailgate parties and game day snacks

Easy to make. Ingredients are easy to find and assembly is quick and simple.

bacon chicken appetizers

This recipe was introduced to us by my father-in law many years ago. And while he makes them with more exotic meats like wild boar, elk, and venison, we make them with easy-to-find chicken and beef.

Chicken appetizers

These chicken bites are similar to classic jalapeno poppers but they give you something extra. There’s no cheese in these, and rather than the jalapeno being the center of the recipe, it’s the chicken in this case.

They’re mild enough for children depending on the brand of pickled jalapeno you use. I’ve found different brands can be sweeter or hotter. If you’re afraid of too much heat you can clean out all the seeds from the jalapeno slices before rolling them up.

Game day party food 

Why not serve a trio of “poppers” with these easy baked jalapeno poppers with cheddar and bacon bits, plus my classic jalapeno poppers with blue cheese

For more football party appetizers check out these recipes.

game day party food

Ingredients & substitutions

To make these you only need 4 simple ingredients.

  • Raw chicken breasts – Start with whole skinless breast meat or chicken tenders. You can also use beef, pork, lamb, or venison.
  • Bacon strips – You’ll cut each strip in half or in to thirds, depending on how long the strips are.
  • Pickled jalapeno – The jalapenos are already sliced and have a slightly sweet flavor.
  • Water chestnuts – A small can, drained, should be plenty for an average party. They add crunch and make these bites truly exceptional.

How to make them

To make these, set out all your ingredients so you can prepare them in an assembly line fashion. When we do this as a family, it’s all hands on deck to make it quicker.

Use the grill to cook them if you can, or bake them in the oven if necessary. 

  1. Start with a pound of boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed, and cut it into 30 bit size strips.
  2. Cut 15 strips of bacon in half, across the middle.
  3. Use a jar of pickled jalapeno slices. They have a mild sweet-hot brine flavor.
  4. Drain a small can of sliced water chestnuts and remove 30 bite-size pieces to use.
  5. Begin assembly by sandwiching a chicken strip between a slice of jalapeno and a slice of water chestnut.
  6. Wrap a piece of bacon around the entire thing and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat for all 30 pieces.
  7. Cook a total of about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is browned.

Bacon chicken bites in the oven

You can cook these in the oven whenever you need to. Just  preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil and place prepared poppers on a baking rack set on top of sheet pan. This way the fat rendered will drip down into the pan while cooking.

Cook for 20-25 minutes or until meat is cooked through and bacon is crisp.

PARTY TIP: These chicken bites don’t need a dipping sauce or anything added. They are superb just the way they are. 

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bacon wrapped chicken bites recipe card

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Appetizers

Yield: 30 appetizers

One of the best game day party appetizers you can serve! These chicken and bacon jalapeno poppers have a surprise inside, and they're full of delicious flavor and texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
  • 1 pound bacon
  • Jar pickled jalapeno slices
  • 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
  • toothpicks

Instructions

  1. ingredientsCut chicken into 30 bite-sized strips
  2. Cut 15 strips of bacon in half, crosswise.
  3. Remove 30 jalapeno slices from jar and pat dry; set aside 30 bite-sized water chestnuts for assembly.
  4. Begin assembly by placing a jalapeno slice on one side of a chicken strip, and a water chestnut slice on the other side of the chicken strip.
  5. Wrap a piece of bacon around all the ingredients and secure with a toothpick.
  6. chicken wrapped in baconRepeat with all ingredients.
  7. Preheat grill to 375 degrees.
  8. Place poppers on hot grill and cook, turning every 5 minutes to brown bacon on all sides.
  9. Cook a total of about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is browned.

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