Cheesy chicken stuffed Jalapeños wrapped in bacon have just the right amount of spice. An EASY appetizer that”ñs great hot or at room temperature. Don’t forget to add the Tequila!

Time for another appetizer Friday post. We were all together for the weekend but we weren’t sure when everyone would arrive so appetizers were the perfect solution. I assembled these earlier in the day and as we sat out on the patio with cocktails, I put them in the oven. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken that I needed to use and couldn’t wait to try this version of jalapeño poppers. I forgot to pick up a lime so I used tequila instead and think it was a pretty good decision. We all loved these, and they were gone in no time. I removed most of the seeds and membranes from the jalapeños, so they were spicy but not overly so. If you want more heat, leave in some of the seeds/membranes.
They were easy to assemble. I used thinly sliced bacon and didn’t need toothpicks to keep them together. If you want more bacon flavor, use thicker slices and secure with a toothpick. If using thicker bacon, you may want to put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp the bacon. These were just as good at room temperature as they were hot out of the oven, which makes them great for appetizer Fridays.
Slightly adapted from Southern Living
Jalapeño Chicken Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 medium jalapeno
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup cooked chicken shredded finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon tequila or lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 12 slices thinly sliced bacon cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray a wire rack and place inside the pan.
- Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes.
- Combine the cream cheese, chicken, cilantro, tequila and salt. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of mixture into the peppers. Wrap each with ½ of a slice of bacon. (If using thick bacon, you may need to secure with a toothpick) Place on the rack in the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until bacon looks crispy. If using thick sliced bacon, places under broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp the bacon. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
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