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    Home » Main Dish

    Tennessee Tenders

    Published: Dec 23, 2015 by Kristin 12 Comments

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    These Tennessee Tenders are chicken tenderloins that have been seasoned and wrapped in bacon. Incredibly flavorful and a favorite for any occasion! 

    smoked chicken tenders with bacon wrapping

    For our guest recipe submission number 2, Carson has shared his amazing Tennessee Tenders!! Not only do these look amazing, but when he posted this picture on our Facebook page, several people begged for the recipe. Well……here it is!! Thank you so much Carson for sharing this fabulous recipe, I cannot wait to try them!!

    “Tennessee Tenders are chicken tenderloins I smoke for my wife’s Sunday School Class. I enjoy bringing these to their Annual Christmas gathering because everyone loves them. Some folks like them plain. Others like Ranch, Honey Mustard & Blue Cheese to dip them. We also smoke wings using this recipe. We use 1/2 a slice of bacon on them.”

    Bacon-wrapped Tennessee Tenders are juicy, flavorful, and crispy. The bacon keeps the chicken from drying out, and the seasoning/rub brings makes these a favorite with everyone!

    One of our favorite rubs to use on chicken would have to be Chupacabra! We literally use it on chicken, vegetables, eggs, and just about anything else! Check it out and perhaps give it a try on this recipe! Also make sure you check out our other smoker recipes HERE, lots to choose from and all have been family approved!

    Ingredients needed for these Tennessee Tenders

    Chicken Tenderloins- you can also use chicken breast, just cut into small pieces

    Your Favorite Seasoning/Rub- we love Chupacabra (see link above), however, you can use any seasoning desired from Cajun, all purpose, lemon pepper, and more

    Bacon- thin sliced works best in this recipe

    Butter- salted

    *See recipe card below for exact measurements

    bacon wrapped tennessee chicken tenders

    How to prepare these Incredible Chicken Tenders

    Coat each side of the tenders with rub. (I coat each side with a different rub)
    Wrap each tender with a slice of bacon (Sam’s has a 10lb box of restaurant style bacon. The slices are separated and on wax paper. They are easy to peel off. Your bacon does not need to be frozen. You like a little stretch to it. It freezes well too)
    Get your smoker to 300 degrees. Put your tenders on the smoker.
    Smoke your tenders at 250-300 degrees.
    Flip the tenders after an hour.
    They are done when the tenders reach 165 degrees.
    Slather them with a generous helping of butter. Serve!

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I cook these in the oven if I don’t have a smoker? Absolutely! Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for about 35-40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

    Why do I need to use thin sliced bacon? Thin sliced wraps easier around the chicken tenders and cooks evenly. After several trials using both thick and thin, we all favored thin.

    What pellets do you recommend for the smoker? We use apple pellets in this recipe; however, you can’t go wrong with Maple, Mesquite, and any other flavor you have.

    Can I use chicken breasts instead of tenders? Yes! Simply cut the breasts into smaller strips and proceed with recipe as directed below.

    bacon wrapped chicken tenders seasoned and smoked

    What to serve with these Tennessee Tenders

    ULTIMATE Potato Salad

    Easy BBQ Baked Beans

    Mom’s Pasta Salad

    Strawberry Pretzel Salad

    Chopped Caprese Salad

    Let me know what you think if you try this recipe and be sure to come connect with me on Instagram! Click HERE to follow me!

    smoked chicken tenders with bacon wrapping
    Print Recipe
    4.24 from 13 votes

    Tennessee Tenders

    These Tennessee Tenders are chicken tenderloins that have been seasoned and wrapped in bacon. Incredibly flavorful and a favorite for any occasion! 
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Keyword: bacon, balsamic chicken, smoker
    Servings: 6
    Author: The Cookin' Chicks

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • Chupacabra Seasoning

    Ingredients

    • Chicken Tenderloins
    • Your favorite rub *check out Chupacabra seasoning link above
    • thin sliced bacon
    • butter, salted
    • wood chips for smoker *I use apple

    Instructions

    • Coat each side of the tenders with rub. (I coat each side with a different rub from above)
    • Wrap each tender with a slice of bacon (Sam’s has a 10lb box of restaurant style bacon. The slices are separated and on wax paper. They are easy to peel off. Your bacon does not need to be frozen. You like a little stretch to it. It freezes well too)
    • Get your smoker to 300 degrees. Put your tenders on the smoker.
    • Add some chips to the fire.
    • Smoke your tenders at 250-300 degrees.
    • Flip the tenders after an hour.
    • They are done when the tenders reach 165 degrees.
    • Slather them with a generous helping of butter. Serve!
    Tried this recipe?Mention @TheCookinChicks or tag #TheCookinChicks!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Welcome to The Cookin' Chicks…I am so glad you've stopped by! I am Kristin, a busy mom of 3, a wife, and a family chef! There are three things that motivate me each day - Family, Faith, and FOOD! I, along with the occasional help of friends and family, want to share my food creations with you! So, I invite you to join me around my dinner table through the recipes that I will share with you here. I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I do!

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