Description
Jalapeño Popper Chicken is a creamy, spicy dish featuring tender seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich sauce made with jalapeños, cream cheese, cheddar, and a blend of flavorful spices. Topped with crispy bacon and green onions, this comforting recipe offers a perfect balance of heat and savory goodness, ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¾ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¾ teaspoon parsley
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Chicken & Other
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings
- 3-4 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings
- 5 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
- 3 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Bacon: Cook bacon strips low and slow in a separate skillet until crispy on each side. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings if desired for cooking instead of butter. Once cooled, roughly chop the bacon and set aside.
- Mix Sauce: Combine chicken broth, hot sauce, chicken bouillon cube, oregano, mustard powder, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder in a medium measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.
- Prepare Chicken: Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 2-3 thinner slices. Cover with plastic wrap and gently pound using the textured side of a meat mallet to about ½ inch thick. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken slices in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until golden crust forms. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Cook Vegetables: Turn off heat and allow pan to cool slightly. Add butter or bacon drippings and set heat back to medium. Add diced jalapeños and minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle flour over jalapeños and garlic mixture. Stir continuously and cook for 1-2 minutes until raw flour smell dissipates.
- Add Sauce: Slowly add the prepared sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute.
- Add Dairy: Stir in cream cheese and sour cream until fully melted and combined. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese into the sauce, continuing to stir until smooth and creamy.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return seared chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over each piece. Let cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
- Garnish and Serve: Top with chopped bacon and sliced green onions. Serve with sides like rice, black beans, coleslaw, tortilla chips, corn salad, roasted potatoes, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Shred cheese from a block for best melting and flavor; Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is recommended. Cheddar Jack, Pepper Jack, and Monterey Jack are great alternatives.
- For less spice, remove all white membranes and seeds from jalapeños as they contain most of the heat.
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken pairs well with corn salad, rice, black beans, coleslaw, tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, roasted potatoes, potato wedges, roasted vegetables, and garlic bread.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gradually to prevent the sauce from separating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
