Description
This Jalapeño Popper Chicken offers irresistible flavors with cream cheese, bacon, and jalapeños—making it a quick, comforting meal everyone will love!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup (77 g) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 medium jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced, plus more for garnish
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 cup (113 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup (34 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry, seasoning both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Arrange them in the baking dish in a single layer.
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, minced garlic, onion powder, paprika, and the remaining salt and pepper until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the diced jalapeños on top, followed by the crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.
- In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter, then sprinkle over the cheese layer.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F, the cheese is bubbly, and the topping is golden brown.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh jalapeño slices if desired.
Notes
For an extra kick, leave some seeds in the jalapeños.
Adjust the amount of bacon based on personal preference.
Letting the dish rest helps the flavors meld.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 135mg