Bacon Wrapped Barbecue Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and a rack coated in cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until the edges begin to crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels.

Without Brown Sugar

1. Wrap each chicken breast with 2 to 3 slices of bacon, using toothpicks if necessary, and place onto the prepared baking sheet with a rack.
2. Try to stretch bacon so the ends are underneath each chicken breast.

Using Brown Sugar

1. If using brown sugar you need to add it now and there are a few ways to do this.
2. You can either lay a slice of bacon flat on a cutting board and cover it with a layer of brown sugar. Place your chicken piece on top and slowly roll your chicken breast over top of the brown sugar covered bacon slice. You'll need to make sure that each bacon edge touches the next as you're rolling. Takes a little longer but the results are terrific.
3. My husband piles brown sugar all over the top of the chicken breast and I mean piles the brown sugar. Holding the breast in one hand he wraps the bacon slice around and around the chicken breast and it works for him every time. The brown sugar as it heats melts under the bacon and he manages to almost accomplish the same thing. The only difference with his method is the lack of brown sugar on the underside of the chicken breast. He doesn't thinks it matters at all and I agree.
4. The last method is to use cooled melted butter. Yep I said it. Dip you rinsed and dried chicken breast into cooled, melted butter and press into brown sugar. You should have a thick layer of brown sugar on your chicken breast. While holding the chicken breast in your hand, carefully wrap bacon strips around the chicken breast. 

Baking the Chicken

1. The key to baking chicken wrapped in bacon is knowing that once the bacon s cooked your chicken is usually done.
2. Bake chicken for 30 minutes.
3. Check underside of chicken and decide if you need to flip the chicken over. Some racks are higher than others and every oven is different. You need your bacon cooked on the bottom of each chicken breast. Flip and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up bottom.
4. Once bacon is cooked, flip chicken back over if desired. Paint a generous amount of barbecue sauce all over the chicken breasts, if using, and bake until the juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink inside, between 5 and 10 more minutes. 
5. Turn oven to broil for the last few minutes to crisp up outside if necessary or desired.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Air Fryer

1. If you would like to try this amazing recipe with your air fryer, follow directions exactly. Cook them at 340 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, flipping once midway during cooking. You do not need to precook the bacon slices.
2. Add barbecue sauce and set timer for up to 5 more minutes. Enjoy!