Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts Recipe

How to Make Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

1. **Brining the Chicken (Prep Time: 20 minutes + 2 hours brining):**
2. In a large pitcher, dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt in 4 cups of water. Stir until completely dissolved.
3. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar to the brine and stir until dissolved.
4. Place 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs total) in a large, deep glass container.
5. Pour the brine over the chicken breasts, ensuring they are completely submerged. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, flipping halfway through.
6. After 2 hours, rinse the chicken breasts thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt.
7. **Preparing the Chicken:**
8. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Apply your favorite dry rub generously to all sides.
9. Lay 3 slices of bacon side-by-side on a flat surface. Repeat until you have enough bacon for all 6 chicken breasts (approximately 18 slices total).
10. Place a chicken breast on top of the bacon, leaving enough bacon on one side to wrap over the breast.
11. Carefully roll the chicken breast in the bacon, tucking in the ends. Secure with toothpicks.
12. Repeat steps 7-9 for all 6 chicken breasts.
13. **Smoking the Chicken (Cook Time: Approximately 180 minutes):**
14. Preheat your smoker to 230°F (110°C). Add your favorite wood chips (soaked according to package directions).
15. Place the bacon-wrapped chicken breasts on the smoker grate, leaving about 1 inch of space between each breast.
16. Smoke for approximately 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F (74°C).
17. About 30 minutes before the chicken is finished, brush the breasts with your favorite barbecue sauce.
18. Remove the chicken from the smoker, remove toothpicks, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.