Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast

Air Fryer Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast is a fun way to elevate your typical chicken breasts. We’re taking boneless skinless chicken breasts and rolling them up with cream cheese and bacon for a delicious, healthy dinner straight out of the air fryer.

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I’ve made these bacon-wrapped delights countless times, and they are always a hit!

Whether I’m hosting friends for a cozy dinner, or just want to treat myself after a long week, these bombs never disappoint.

If you love wrapped and stuffed dishes, you might also enjoy my Pull-apart Cheesy Stuffed Shells or Phyllo Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, both packed with flavor and simplicity!

Why I Love This Recipe

I adore these Chicken Bacon Bombs because they deliver explosive flavors without the fuss!

The air fryer makes the process so quick and easy, allowing me to whip them up on busy weeknights or for impromptu gatherings.

Plus, they’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser—what’s not to love about bacon-wrapped anything?

Ingredients & Substitutions

This recipe calls for simple yet delectable ingredients that work beautifully together:

• Bacon: The star of the show! It adds a crispy, smoky flavor that takes the chicken to new heights. If you want a lighter version, turkey bacon works well too.
• Cream Cheese: This provides a rich, creamy filling that complements the chicken perfectly. For a twist, you can substitute it with goat cheese or even a dairy-free cream cheese if you’re looking for a vegan option.
• Chives: They add a fresh, oniony note to the cream cheese mixture. You can easily swap these for green onions or even omit them if you prefer a simpler filling.
• Chicken Breast: The protein base for this dish, it ensures each bite is satisfying. You can also use chicken thighs for a juicier alternative.

How to Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Making these Chicken Bacon Bombs is easier than you think!

Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to flavor town:

1. Using a meat mallet, flatten the chicken to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the chicken into strips that are about 1 inch wide and 6-7 inches long. Season these strips with salt and pepper.
2. In the air fryer, cook the bacon slices in a single layer at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes to partially cook them.
3. In a small bowl, combine the chopped chives with the softened cream cheese.
4. Place each chicken strip on a slice of bacon, spread the cream cheese mixture, and roll the chicken with the bacon, securing it with a toothpick if desired.
5. Air fry at 450 degrees F for 13 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is irresistibly crispy.

🔑 Key to Success #1 – Pound the Chicken Thin

One of the reasons why this recipe is successful is because we’re making the chicken thin so that it’ll cook quicker.

If you use thick chicken breasts, you won’t be able to roll them up easily and it will take so long to cook that the bacon may burn.

Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/4 inch thick.

If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use a heavy frying pan or rolling pin to pound the chicken.

Tip! Place a sheet of waxed paper over the chicken breasts when pounding it out to avoid a mess.

Another option is to slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form chicken cutlets.

Start by placing one hand flat on top of a chicken breast.

Hold the knife parallel to the cutting board and slice the chicken horizontally from the thick end to the thin end.

It’s okay if the slices do not run all the way to the tip of the breast.

🔑 Key to Success #2 – Pre-cook the Bacon

Before we roll up the chicken breasts in the bacon, we will need to pre-cook the bacon.

Pre-cooking the bacon will allow it to get nice and crispy in the same amount of time that it takes for the chicken to fully cook.

Pre-cook the bacon in the air fryer at 300 degrees F for about 5 minutes.

Be sure to lay the bacon in the air fryer in a single layer.

You can cook the bacon in batches if all the pieces will not fit in a single layer.

You do not need to turn the bacon over while it is pre-cooking.

🔑 Key to Success #3 – Chicken Strips Shorter Than Bacon

One of my best tips for this recipe is to slice the chicken strips so that they are shorter than the strips of bacon.

A standard piece of bacon is about 9 inches long when uncooked so you will want to cut your chicken breasts about 7 inches in length.

The two extra inches will allow the bacon to wrap completely around the chicken strips so that it will be easier to secure.

I highly recommend using toothpicks to secure the ends of the bacon around the chicken.

You don’t want to risk your bacon falling off while it is cooking in the air fryer.

Cook the chicken bacon bombs in the air fryer at 450 degrees F for about 13 minutes.

Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.

It should read 165 degrees F if the chicken is fully cooked.

You can cook the chicken in batches if your air fryer is crowded.

Recipe Variations

Want to mix things up?

Here are a few ideas:

• Spicy Chicken Bacon Bombs: Add jalapeños or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to your cream cheese filling for a spicy kick!
• Cheesy Chicken Bombs: Incorporate shredded cheese like cheddar or pepper jack into your cream cheese mixture for an extra gooey surprise.
• Herb-Infused Bacon Bombs: Try using fresh herbs like basil or parsley in your filling for a fresh and vibrant taste.

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