• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Comfort Food
  • Southern
  • Tex-Mex
  • Dessert
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Comfort Food
  • Southern Recipes
  • Tex-Mex & Mexican Food
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index
  • About Kelly
  • Contact
×
Home · Recipes · Chicken · Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Published: Jul 15, 2021 by Kelly Anthony · 5 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Image For Pinterest
Image For Pinterest

When you take all the savory goodness of a jalapeno popper and use it to deck out boneless skinless chicken breasts, you've got a dinnertime masterpiece on your hands! This Jalapeno Popper Chicken is comforting, decadently delicious, and your family will be begging you to make it again!

An overhead shot of 4 chicken breasts topped with cheese, jalapenos, bacon, and a cream cheese layer underneath.  

It features juicy, perfectly cooked chicken breasts smothered by a melty trio of cheeses that come speckled with bits of thick-cut bacon and diced jalapenos.

Any person who loves jalapeno poppers will positively swoon for this Jalapeno Popper Chicken! And, all of you healthy eaters out there will be glad to know this dreamboat of a dinner is also gluten-free, low-carb, and even keto-approved!

Looking for more awesome chicken recipes to try? Bookmark our Chicken Fried Chicken recipe in your internet browser for next time!

An overhead shot of jalapeno popper chicken in a casserole dish.

HOW TO MAKE JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN

  1. Prep | Preheat the oven, grab the casserole dish, chop the bacon and jalapenos, grate the cheese, and pound out and season the chicken.
  2. Stovetop Work | Cook the bacon bits and remove them from the pan. Add the chicken and sear it on both sides. Remove the chicken and place it in the baking dish. Add the diced jalapenos. Stir until cooked and remove from the heat. 
  3. Make the Filling | Combine the cream cheese, bacon, jalapenos, Monterey Jack cheese, and Cheddar cheese in a bowl and mix to combine.
  4. Assemble and Bake | Divide the cream cheese mixture amongst the chicken breasts, top with more cheese, and bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Big fan of this flavor combo? Try our Jalapeño Popper Dip as well!

A close up of Jalapeno Popper Chicken in a casserole dish.

JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN PREP WORK

First things first, get that prep work out of the way!

To start, preheat your oven to 375°F and have ready a 9x13" casserole dish. Knock out all of your chopping and grating, and then, it's on to the chicken.

For this recipe, we're pounding out the chicken. This step ensures quick and even cooking, and also provides a flat surface for that jalapeno popper filling to sit and stay put on.

POUND OUT THE CHICKEN

The easiest way to pound out boneless skinless chicken breast is to place it inside of a ziptop bag and pound it with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin.

You want to make the chicken an even thickness all the way around, so start pounding on the thick end. Once it closely resembles the same thickness of the thin end, you're done. The chicken should be about a ½" thick!

SEASON THE CHICKEN

Transfer the chicken to a work surface and pat it dry with a paper towel. This step will remove the excess water from the exterior of the chicken breast. Removing water from the exterior of the chicken helps both the oil and the seasoning to stick and also helps you to get a better sear on the chicken!

The seasoning consists of a simple blend of salt and pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Once the boneless skinless chicken breasts are seasoned, set them aside and move on to the stovetop work!

ON THE STOVETOP

The stovetop is where we are going to build lots and lots of flavor in our Jalapeno Popper Chicken recipe!

COOK THE BACON

Add diced, thick-cut bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir that around until the bacon is looking nice and crisp to your liking -- this should take about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the bacon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any of the excess oil.

SEAR THE CHICKEN

Now, we're going to lock some bacon flavor into those chicken breasts. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the pan with the bacon grease and cook each breast for about 3 minutes on the first side. Then, flip and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side. 

Take care not to overcrowd your pan. If the breasts are crammed in there together, you won't be able to get a proper sear on the chicken. Once all of the chicken is seared, transfer it to the 9x13" baking dish and set it aside.

Searing the chicken for this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Recipe will not cook it all the way through. We're just giving it a headstart in the pan and because of this, it will cook faster in the oven.

SOFTEN THE JALAPENOS.

Time to put a little jalapeno in this Jalapeno Popper Chicken! It's best to use fresh jalapenos rather than canned jalapenos for this recipe. Both the flavor and texture will be much more enjoyable.

Add the diced jalapenos straight to the pan and stir to coat. At this point, the jalapenos are picking up on all that savory goodness left behind from both the bacon and the chicken. They should take only a few minutes to soften, then you can remove them from the heat, and it's time to make that jalapeno popper filling!

DO JALAPENOS MAKE THIS CHICKEN SPICY?

Jalapeno peppers won't make this chicken spicy unless you fail to remove the seeds and ribs during the deseeding process. And really, even if you were to leave a few seeds behind, this Jalapeno Popper Chicken should not be overwhelmingly spicy by any means.

The jalapeno scores very, very low on the Scoville scale; a scale that determines the heat rating index of a pepper.

To put it in perspective, my young children are perfectly capable of eating this dish without any issues whatsoever!

Jalapeno Popper chicken being scooped out of pan with a spatula.

MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE

At this point, we are wrapping up the recipe and whipping up the cream cheese jalapeno popper mixture! 

Add a block of softened cream cheese, the cooked bacon and jalapenos, freshly grated Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, plus 1 large egg (slightly beaten), to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer or a whisk to get everything nice and evenly combined and that's it!

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN

Add big dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the top of the chicken breasts and finish off the dish with a big sprinkle of Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese on top. 

Bake the chicken for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. 

A spatula holding up a piece of jalapeno popper chicken.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN

There are lots of yummy side dishes that would pair well with Jalapeno Popper Chicken! 

You'd be surprised just how delicious that topping tastes in combination with a forkful of creamy mashed potatoes. A big scoop of Cajun rice would work well for a carby side dish too!

If you want something green to serve with your chicken, try a nice house salad or a side of roasted okra.

Want something bready? Jalapeno cornbread is entirely fitting, and you could never ever go wrong with a thick-cut slice of Texas Toast!

Jalapeno Popper Chicken on a white plate.

5 MORE CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

  • Shredded Chicken Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
  • Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts
  • Cornflake Chicken
  • Stuffed Chicken Breasts

  • Three shredded chicken tacos on a plate surrounded by cilantro sprigs and sliced jalapenos. The tacos are topped with sliced jalapenos, sour cream, pico de gallo, and cilantro.

    Shredded Chicken Tacos

  • A BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich on a white plate with onions in the background.

    Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

  • A close up shot of bacon wrapped chicken on a foil lined pan.

    Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

  • A close up shot of Cornflake Chicken with the chicken leg being the focal point.

    Cornflake Chicken

  • Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Jalapeno Popper chicken being scooped out of pan with a spatula.
Print Recipe
4.75 from 12 votes

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

This Jalapeno Popper Chicken features juicy, perfectly cooked chicken breasts smothered by a melty trio of cheeses speckled with bits of thick-cut bacon and diced jalapenos. It's a crowd-pleasing chicken dinner that's also gluten-free, low-carb, and even keto-approved!
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 601kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon canola or avocado oil
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 6 jalapenos, seeded and diced
  • 1 (8-ounce) block of cream cheese, softened
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese, separated
  • ½ cup freshly grated Mild Cheddar Cheese, separated
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and have ready a 9x13" baking dish.
  • Place the chicken breasts in a ziptop bag (or sandwich in between two sheets of wax paper) and pound them out one at a time using a rolling pin or mallet. Begin at the thick end, and continue until the chicken is of even thickness, about a ½" thick.
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer a work surface. Drizzle the chicken with the oil and season evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub all over to adhere. Set aside.
  • Place a skillet over medium-high heat and bring to temperature. Add the bacon and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring often. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Add the chicken to the skillet (taking care not to overcrowd the pan and cooking in batches as needed) and sear for 3 minutes on one, then flip, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the casserole dish and set aside.
  • Add the diced jalapeños to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often.
  • Transfer the softened jalapenos, along with the bacon to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese, ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese, ¼ cup of Cheddar, and the egg. Use a handheld mixer at medium-high speed (or a whisk) to mix the ingredients.
  • Divide the mixture (about 2 large dollops) evenly over the tops of the chicken breasts. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of Monterey Jack and ¼ cup of Cheddar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 1446mg | Potassium: 1022mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 677IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 2mg

Image For Pinterest

« Air Fryer Zucchini
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes »
888 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Looking for more recipes?

Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

Check Out the Recipe Index

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Philip Anthony says

    July 16, 2021 at 11:17 am

    Very good

    Reply
  2. Katherine says

    July 17, 2021 at 2:30 am

    Can you omit the bacon?

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      July 17, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      Yes, you can omit the bacon and begin by searing the chicken in a couple of tablespoons of canola or avocado oil instead!

      Reply
      • Katherine says

        July 17, 2021 at 9:16 pm

        Great, thanks so much Kelly!
        (Making this now )

        Reply
  3. Sandy says

    August 28, 2024 at 12:50 am

    This recipe is definitely a keeper. We loved it

    Reply
4.75 from 12 votes (11 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

Trending recipes

  • Close up of steak sandwich
    The Ultimate Steak Sandwich (30 Minutes, Juicy Steak + A Crave-Worthy Sauce)
  • Biscuits and a fried eggs topped with Tomato Gravy
    Southern Tomato Gravy (Easy, Bacon-Rich & Biscuit-Ready)
  • Strawberries and Cream in a dessert bowl, garnished with fresh mint
    Strawberries and Cream — Sweet, Simple, and Ready in Minutes
  • Closeup of Salsa Ranchera with a tortilla chip
    Salsa Ranchera Recipe (Authentic, Oven-Roasted & So Easy!)
  • Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
    Side Dishes for Ribs (19 Crowd-Pleasing Recipes)
  • Close-up of a Prosciutto Sandwich
    The Best Prosciutto Sandwich (in 10 Minutes Flat)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly recipes

Contact

  • Work with me
  • Contact

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
We loved this recipe!!
Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.