Jalapeño Popper Chicken Recipe
Creamy, cheesy jalapeño poppers wrapped inside juicy chicken, then bundled in crispy bacon and brushed with BBQ sauce. This easy smoker, grill, or oven recipe is packed with bold flavor and perfect for dinner or cookouts.
Servings 6
Calories 560kcal
Equipment
- Mini loaf pan (recommended) or 9x13-inch casserole dish
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Basting brush
- Wire rack
- Baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs or 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied into 6 thin pieces
- 3 medium jalapeños halved lengthwise with stems and seeds removed
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese
- 6 tablespoons salted butter cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- ½ cup BBQ sauce or more, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven, pellet smoker, or grill to 300°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Fill each jalapeño half with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese.
- Lay the chicken pieces flat, smooth side down. Sprinkle the inside of each piece with half of the seasoning mixture.
- Place one stuffed jalapeño half in the center of each piece of chicken. Roll the chicken tightly around the jalapeño.
- Wrap each chicken roll with one slice of bacon and place seam-side down into a cavity of a mini loaf pan (or place into a casserole dish if using one).
- Sprinkle the remaining seasoning evenly over the tops of the chicken rolls. Top each with one tablespoon of butter.
- Cook uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Brush each piece generously with BBQ sauce.
- Return to the oven, smoker, or grill and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the bacon is lightly caramelized and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Calories and nutritional data are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.
Recipe Notes:
- A mini loaf pan helps keep the chicken rolls uniform while they cook in the flavorful butter and juices, but a casserole dish works just as well.
- If your bacon doesn't wrap easily, gently stretch each slice before wrapping the chicken.
- Don't overfill the jalapeños with cream cheese or it may leak out during cooking.
- Hickory pellets add excellent smoky flavor, but apple, cherry, pecan, or other fruit woods also work well.
- If using a grill, cook over indirect heat to minimize flare-ups from the bacon.
- For crispier bacon, finishing on a wire rack allows hot air to circulate around the chicken.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce. For a gluten-free meal, be sure to choose a certified gluten-free BBQ sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal