Name: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers Baked in the Oven
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 12 medium jalapenos; 8 ounces cream cheese; 1 cup cooked chicken shredded (finely chopped); 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped); 1 tablespoon tequila (or lime juice); 1 teaspoon salt; 12 slices thinly sliced bacon (cut in half)

Spice up your next gathering with these oven baked, bacon-wrapped jalapeño chicken poppers. These classic appetizers are one of our favorites. Creamy and filling with just enough spice. Don’t let the word ‘jalapeño’ scare you off! These ‘secret ingredient’ appetizers strike a perfect balance between heat and creamy indulgence for a flavorful, savory treat you’ll be proud to serve.

Try some Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers – Not Too Spicy

Jalapeño poppers might look difficult to make, but they’re actually very simple! It’s as easy as slicing the peppers in half and filling them with a flavorful mixture of cream cheese and seasonings with just the right amount of heat. Rotisserie chicken, cilantro, and bacon, make these a hearty and scrumptious appetizer.

Plus, my secret weapon: a splash of tequila that takes these poppers from good to outstanding! There’s only a tablespoon so you won’t get tipsy, but it adds some flavor. They crisp up in the oven to absolute mouth-watering perfection. Cooking them on a rack lets the grease from the bacon drip off so they won’t get your hands greasy.

The first time I made these, I used thick cut pepper bacon from the deli, which was delicious, but is just too thick for these poppers. The bacon unrolled and by the time the bacon cooked, the peppers were almost mush. I was determined to use the pepper bacon so to avoid overcooking the peppers, I tried again and took them out of the oven when the peppers were soft and then turned on the broiler to quickly finish the bacon. It still unwrapped, so I had to use toothpicks to keep it together.

I suggest just using a thin sliced bacon for this dish. There’s enough flavor that you don’t really need the extra flavor from the pepper bacon.

For a holiday celebration, game day, movie night, or appetizer Fridays, these stuffed jalapeño poppers will disappear faster than you can say ‘Yum!’ Serve them up with a creamy dip or tangy salsa to complete your appetizer spread, or make them for a light dinner. (My husband claims they’re the best appetizer I make 🥰)

Two jalapeno poppers on a plate wrapped in bacon.

If you like stuffed peppers, but want a filling that’s less creamy, try sausage stuffed mini bell peppers or make it a meal and try some Southwest stuffed bell peppers.

Never Tried Jalapeño Chicken Poppers – You’ll Love Them

Interesting and Unique Flavor – These aren’t your average jalapeño poppers. With seasoned chicken, cream cheese, and a splash of tequila, the flavor combination is awesome.
Easy But Impressive – These look so fancy wrapped in crispy, golden bacon with yummy bubbly cheese, but they only take a couple of minutes to prepare, and the recipe is simple and forgiving to put together.
Perfect for Any Occasion – Everyone loves jalapeño poppers, and this chicken-stuffed version can be served at a party or even for brunch or dinner. They’re a popular appetizer, but substantial enough to make a satisfying light meal.
Not too Spicy – You might think they would be too spicy but removing the seeds of the peppers make them just a little spicy. If you want some heat, leave in the seeds. 🔥

Tips for Buying Jalapeño Peppers

Inspect the texture: Choose firm, glossy jalapeños without soft spots or discoloration.

Give them a sniff: Fresh jalapenos have a spicy, fresh aroma.

Bend them a little bit: You don’t want to break peppers in the supermarket, but jalapenos should be plump enough to bend a bit without breaking.

How to Prepare Jalapeño Peppers for Cooking

Before you begin making this recipe, you’ll want to clean and prepare your peppers. It’s an easy process. Here’s how I clean mine:

Wash thoroughly. Give your peppers a good rinse under cool running water. Use your hands to gently remove any dirt or residue. Dry them gently with a paper towel
Slice. I like the look of jalapeño peppers with the stems still intact, but if you prefer, you can trim off the ends of the peppers. Then, slice them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a knife or a spoon.
Be careful! Your fingers will have jalapeño oil on them from the seeds and flesh. Be careful not to touch your eyes or other sensitive skin until you’ve washed your hands, and be especially careful around kids and pets.

Jalapeño Chicken Poppers Ingredients

The ingredients for jalapeno poppers. — Gather the ingredients.

Jalapeños – You’ll cut these in half to make 24 jalapeno poppers. If you really don’t want any spicy at all, you could use baby bell peppers.
Cream Cheese – I like using full fat but low fat will also work.
Shredded Chicken – You can make your own shredded chicken from boneless chicken breasts, buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or use leftover chicken.
Cilantro – Choose bright green cilantro and chop it up fine.
Tequila – A little tequila goes a long way and gives these poppers an unexpected flavor. Replace with fresh lime juice if you prefer a non-alcoholic version.
Bacon – Thinly sliced bacon works best for this recipe because it cooks up quickly and gets golden and crisp once it’s wrapped around the poppers. If all you have is thick sliced, you will need to secure it with a toothpick and allow a longer cooking time.

How To Make These Cream Cheese Jalapeño Chicken Poppers

Step 1: Clean and prepare the peppers.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then set a wire rack on top. Clean the peppers and slice them in half horizontally.

Jalapeno peppers sliced in half with seeds removed. — Slice and remove the seeds.

Step 2: Make the filling.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine room-temperature cream cheese, shredded chicken, cilantro, tequila, and salt. Stir well until it’s well mixed together.

The filling for poppers in a bowl. — Combine the filling.

Pro Tip: If you forgot to pull out the cream cheese, try this simple way to soften cream cheese.

Step 3: Stuff and wrap the poppers.

Spoon 1-2 tsp of the cream cheese filling into each pepper half. Then, wrap each pepper with half a slice of bacon, tucking in the end of the bacon and place them on the wire rack.

Jalapeno pepper halfs stuffed with filling. — Stuff with filling.

Stuffed peppers wrapped in bacon on a cutting board. — Wrap with bacon.

Stuffed peppers on a rack on a baking sheet. — Place on a rack in a baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake.

Bake the jalapeño cream cheese poppers for about 25-30 minutes. You want these to end up with crispy bacon. If the poppers are hot through but the bacon isn’t cooked enough, turn on the broiler for a few minutes to crisp them up. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven and let them set for a couple of minutes before serving.

Baked jalapeno poppers on a wire rack. — Bake until the bacon is crisp.

Recipe Notes for Jalapeño Poppers with Bacon

Secure the bacon with toothpicks if you are using thick sliced bacon.
Room temperature cream cheese will make a smoother filling with fewer lumps. Set it on the counter for about 30 minutes before you begin to make your cream cheese mixture or try this quick way to soften cream cheese.
These can be served warm, but they’re also delicious at room temperature, so this is a great recipe for an appetizer table.

How to Store Leftovers

In the fridge: Place cooled poppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

In the freezer: I’m not a fan of freezing these as it alters the texture of the filling.

How to reheat: The best way I’ve found to reheat these is to place leftovers in a casserole dish and reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until hot through. The microwave tends to make the bacon rubbery.

More Bacon Wrapped Appetizers

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