Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

Bacon, jalapeno, chicken, and cheese? These “poppable” appetizers are simply the BEST. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

Appetizers are my JAM. Seriously, sometimes I want to make an entire meal of just finger foods (ok, let’s be honest, sometimes I do that….). I love jalapeno poppers so much that I made it my goal to re-create them as many different ways as I can – (check out this jalapeno popper dip!) – that’s why these little bites of heaven were created. The combination of spicy jalapenos, crispy bacon, and tender chicken is mouthwatering, you’ll have your family begging for more!

BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN JALAPENO POPPERS
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My family knows that when they see a massive amount of jalapenos in our shopping cart during our weekly grocery shop, I’m creating something fantastic. Whether it’s these Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs or these Jalapeno Lime Chicken Wings, you could say that I’m a jalapeno addict. I adore those spicy little peppers so much – I love how you can use them in basically any dish to add a little kick and excitement!

Well, this past week, I was feeling like I was in a bit of a jalapeño popper rut (I’ve been making the same recipe for years…), so I decided to experiment a little – I added in some chicken! And believe me when I say, I am never, ever looking back. This jalapeno popper stuffed chicken recipe has some extra protein which turned my favorite appetizer into a more substantial snack (so now I’ll only eat 5 instead of my usual 7 to 10….oops).

I was not the only one in my house who loved these jalapeno popper chicken bites! They disappeared so fast, I could hardly believe my eyes! My kids told me that now whenever I’m supposed to make a chicken appetizer for a party or get-together, these have to be made – no negotiations, no questions, just bacon wrapped jalapeno chicken poppers.

Ingredients for Jalapeno Chicken Poppers

• Chicken breast – pounded thin and cut into strips
• Garlic powder
• Jalapenos – cut in half and de-seeded
• Bacon
• Cream cheese
• Shredded Mexican cheese blend

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

1. One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to cook everything – they all cook together! You just have to preheat the oven to 400°F and assemble your poppers!
2. Next, put your very thin chicken strips into a small bowl, and sprinkle some garlic powder over them. Use some tongs to toss the chicken and get the strips seasoned.
3. Inside your de-seeded jalapeno peppers, spread a think layer of cream cheese and sprinkle with shredded cheese. If you like your poppers really spicy, you can leave the seeds and spread the cream cheese over them.
4. Next, lay a piece of bacon down on the cutting board and then place a piece of chicken on top of it – almost like a little meat tower 🙂
5. The next layer of the tower is the best part – that cream cheese and cheddar filled jalapeno! Put it on top of the bacon and chicken, then roll them all together so the popper and chicken are wrapped in bacon. Secure with a toothpick and wrapping until all your poppers are prepped.
6. Next, line a baking sheet with tin foil – these can create a bit of a mess in the oven otherwise, but the tin foil makes cleanup a breeze! Place a baking rack on top of the tin foiled baking sheet and then place the wrapped-up poppers on top.
   *A broiling pan works great for this too since the grooves keep the poppers from rolling as you move the tray around.
7. Pop them in the oven for 20-30 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is nice and crispy) and wait with great anticipation for these amazing baked jalapeno poppers to be done!

Thank goodness the cooking time for these delectable bites is so short, I really don’t know if my taste buds would be able to wait much longer than 30 minutes. The smell of bacon and jalapeno starts to permeate the house at about minute 10 and it’s a small miracle that I don’t just stand outside the oven door counting down each moment until I can have one.

Want some more Real Housemoms fan-favorite “poppable” recipes? Check these out!

• Buffalo Chicken Pizza Bites
• Club Sandwich Pinwheels
• BBQ Cauliflower Bites
• Meatball Parmesan Bites
• Mexican Chicken Empanadas
• More APPETIZER recipes…

Tools used to make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

Wire Rack: this thing is a staple in my kitchen – it’s a multipurpose tool… you can use it for baking appetizers like these jalapeno poppers as well as a cooling rack for your favorite cookies!

Meat Tenderizer: I used to use the old “bang a rolling pin on top of the meat on the counter” method, but I have found that using this meat tenderizer works wayyyy better.

*This post originally posted on 07/02/2013.