Jalapeno Popper Chicken is a cheesy and spicy stuffed chicken recipe that everyone will love! One of my favorite appetizers is jalapeno poppers, and this chicken tastes exactly like them, with the addition of bacon. It's truly an impressive protein that pairs so well with any side dish that you want.
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This recipe is quick to prepare as well! It takes just a few minutes to stuff and wrap the chicken breasts. Then, the oven takes over, roasting the chicken to perfection. When you slice into the chicken, you get a gooey cheese filling with hints of heat and savory bacon. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
If you like stuffed chicken recipes, you will love this buttery Baked Chicken Kiev and this air fried Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's budget-friendly: I love making meals that are both yummy and inexpensive, and this jalapeno popper chicken breast is a great example. It doesn't need a lot of ingredients, and they are common items a lot of people have on hand.
- The prep is quick: It doesn't take long to put this recipe together. Once the chicken is stuffed and wrapped, it goes into the oven to cook. All you have to do is wait and then enjoy it.
- It's a family favorite: I make this often for my family because everyone loves it. This also makes an impressive and easy Sunday dinner to serve to extended family and friends.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a must! They are the best cut for stuffing. Thighs are smaller and have a shape that makes them difficult to work with for this recipe.
- Bacon: Use any variety of uncooked bacon strips that you like. Applewood, cherrywood, or hickory smoked are some of my favorites!
- Cream cheese: Ensure that your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. This will make it easier to work with, so you can add your other ingredients to it to make the stuffing. You can experiment with flavored cream cheese for extra flavor.
- Jalapenos: I enjoy freshly diced jalapenos. I leave the seeds in one of them for extra heat and remove them from the other one. If you want it milder, remove all the seeds. Leave all of the seeds to make it extra spicy!
- Garlic: This is a great way to get more flavor into the chicken without adding more salt. Bacon is very salty, and will add plenty of salt to the jalapeno chicken.
- Green onions: I like the texture and flavor of green onions with the cream cheese. Fresh chives work great, too.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Maple: Brush the outside of your bacon-wrapped creamy jalapeno chicken with sweet maple syrup to balance the salty and spicy flavors, and get beautiful caramelization on the outside.
- Buffalo bleu: Add buffalo sauce and bleu cheese crumbles to the filling to make an extra spicy and tangy version.
- Extra cheesy: Add some shredded cheddar or Monterey jack to the filling!
Check out these crispy fried jalapenos if recipes like this are your thing.
How to Make Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Then, use a rimmed baking sheet or a 9x13 casserole dish (which is what I prefer), line it with foil, and use a metal rack if desired to keep the bacon crispy.
Step 1: Pound the chicken. Use a mallet to pound the chicken breasts until they are ¼ to ½ inch thick.
Step 2: Make the filling. Combine cream cheese, jalapenos, garlic, green onions, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until it's smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Lay out bacon strips. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and place 4 strips of bacon side by side on top of it.
Step 4: Weave the other pieces. Grab 4 more pieces and weave them through the other pieces left to right by going over and under them.
Step 5: Add the chicken breast and cream cheese. Place one of the chicken breasts on top of the bacon weave. Add a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture to one side of the breast.
Step 6: Fold the chicken. Carefully fold the chicken over and ensure none of the filling is exposed.
Step 7: Wrap the chicken. Tightly wrap the chicken in the bacon weave and then the plastic wrap to make a roll. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts and bacon strips.
Step 8: Chill. Stick the chicken in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Step 9: Add them to the baking dish. Unwrap your bacon chicken breasts and put them into the baking dish.
Step 10: Bake and serve. Pop the pan in the oven and bake it for about 45 minutes, rotating the chicken halfway through.
Recipe Tips
- Stuff with cooked bacon: Make a similar jalapeno chicken recipe, but add cooked, chopped bacon to the filling and skip wrapping the chicken. I like this method if you have leftover bacon to use or if you only have bacon bits.
- Use a meat thermometer: It will be hard to tell if the chicken breasts are cooked thoroughly when they're wrapped. I like to check them with a thermometer, and as long as they have a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, you're golden!
- Don't overstuff the chicken: Don't try to add too much filling to each chicken breast. This makes it more difficult to wrap.
If you love recipes like this jalapeno popper stuffed chicken, you may also enjoy these Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze-cooled chicken in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Leftovers are best reheated at 350°F in the oven or air fryer. They will take 10-12 minutes in the oven and 8-10 minutes in the air fryer. I don't recommend the microwave because it will make the bacon chewy.
- Make Ahead: Go ahead and prepare your chicken breasts and store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before dinner. Add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time!
Serving Suggestions
- Go classic and serve this cream cheese jalapeno stuffed chicken with this gooey bacon mac and cheese.
- I like to stick with the spicy theme and make jalapeno creamed corn as a side dish.
- You can't go wrong with potatoes! Roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions, and Mom's Traditional Swedish Potatoes both pair well with this recipe.
- End your meal with a sweet, poppable treat like some homemade Thin Mint pretzels.
This recipe pairs well with my jalapeno mac and cheese. Spicing things up is where it's at.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! Preheat your grill to 400°F and cook the chicken breasts for approximately 30 minutes over indirect heat, then for 2-3 minutes over direct heat. Use a thermometer if needed to check for doneness!
If the chicken breasts aren't wrapped properly, this will cause the filling to leak out. Feel free to use toothpicks to keep it all sealed if needed.
Kick the oven to broil for about 5-7 minutes at the end of cooking to make the bacon even crispier.
More Delicious Chicken Dishes
Do you like chicken? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 ½ pounds bacon or prosciutto slices
- 1 8-ounce brick cream cheese, softened
- 2 jalapenos, one seeded, both diced I left the seeds in one jalapeño to give it a kick, but adjust this according to spice preference. For a milder flavor, seed both jalapeños.
- 2-4 tablespoons green onion or chives, chopped, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet or 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with tinfoil and a rack coated in cooking spray.
- Using a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts. Until they are between ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, jalapenos, garlic, pepper and chives or green onions or whatever you want to mix with the cream cheese. Stir until totally blended.
Make the bacon weave
- You also have the option to wrap chicken with the seam side of the chicken facing up, wrap pieces of bacon or prosciutto around it so that the ends of the bacon are tucked beneath the chicken. Use toothpicks if you have to.
- Lay 4 slices of bacon on top of a sheet of plastic wrap side by side.
- Weave 4 additional pieces through the bacon going left to right by going over and under the other slices. Until all 4 bacon slices are woven together.
- Place chicken breast atop bacon weave. Spread the cream cheese mixture on one side of the chicken breast.
- Fold chicken breast over the cream cheese. Wrap bacon around the chicken. Use the plastic wrap to make a tight roll. Twist the excess plastic wrap on the sides of the chicken to tighten the roll.
- Repeat for each chicken breast. Store in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Unwrap the chicken and place on rack inside your prepared baking sheet or dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Rotate and adjust chicken at midway point to ensure bacon is cooked all the way around your chicken breasts. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes to crisp up the bacon if desired.
- Serve immediately and enjoy every bite.
Notes
- Store leftover jalapeno popper chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Broil your chicken for 5-7 minutes after it finishes cooking to make the bacon extra crispy.
- Try not to overstuff the chicken breasts with the cream cheese filling, or they will be much harder to wrap.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in May 2016. It's been updated with new content and images.
April says
Cooking it now as it looks amazing. I’m a little dense, but did I miss what temperature to cook the chicken at for 30 mins?
Karin and Ken says
400 degrees for average sized chicken breasts! If possible though please cook chicken at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes instead. I’ve been doing that lately and prefer the results. We love this recipe and hopefully you love it as much as we do! Take care. Karin
Bruce says
I assume that the garlic goes into the cream cheese. Sounds good
Karin and Ken says
Yes it does! Thank you for pointing out the error! This chicken is delicious with or without flavoured cream cheese! Please let me know what you think if you give it a try! Thank you again for taking the time to let me know! All the best. Karin
Cathy says
Where do u use the 1/2 cup butter?
Karin and Ken says
I can not believe that information was there! I cannot apologize enough but thank you for bringing this to our attention! Please omit the butter. I am going to erase it now! Thank you again for letting us know. We love this recipe and hope you enjoy it too! Take care and all the best. Karin