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Bacon Wrapped Smoked Chicken Breasts Recipe
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5 from 7 votes

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Smoked bacon wrapped chicken breasts are brined, dusted with a dry rub, and wrapped in bacon to ensure each bite is packed with smoky flavor!
Prep Time2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Fox Valley Foodie

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken breasts
  • 12 strips low sodium bacon
  • ¼ cup BBQ Dry Rub or as needed
  • 3 chunks cherry wood most other smoking hardwoods can be substituted if desired

Brine

  • 4 cups water
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon peppercorns
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed

Instructions

  • Boil all of the brining ingredients in a saucepan until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved. Let cool completely. (This step can be done up to a day ahead)
  • Pour brine into a gallon bag, add chicken breasts and seal after removing most of the air. Place in the refrigerator for two hours, flipping once to ensure consistent brining.
  • Remove chicken from brine and rinse off under running water to ensure the breast isn't overly salty on the exterior.
  • Liberally apply your favorite BBQ Dry Rub to the chicken breast, ensuring it is fully coated.
  • Lay two strips of bacon on a cutting board and place your chicken breast on top (larger breasts may need three while smaller chicken breasts should need two). Starting at one end, wrap bacon tightly around the breast, securing each end with a toothpick.
  • Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  • Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees and add 3 chunks of cherry wood on top of the charcoal. (or per your manufacturer's instructions)
  • Smoke until the chicken breast reach 165 degrees on a digital thermometer, ~60-90 minutes. Flip once during cooking halfway though.
  • Remove from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

Using thin cut bacon slices helps ensure the bacon will crisp during cooking. This will be more difficult to achieve with thick cut bacon. This is the same reason we are cooking at 275 degrees rather than a lower temperature.
Aim for 275 degrees, however anything between 250 - 300 degrees will get great results.
Your cooking time can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
If YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE check out how to make Smoked Whole Chicken with Blackened Seasoning!

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 5280mg | Potassium: 943mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1.2mg