Jalapeno Chicken Poppers Recipes

BACON-WRAPPED JALAPEñO POPPER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wear gloves to protect your hands and use a small paring knife to cut the stem-end off the jalapeño; you should see the white ribs attached to the walls of the jalapeño. Use the paring knife to remove the ribs from the walls. Make a cut down the length of the jalapeño from the top to the tip. Carefully, without breaking the jalapeño in half, scrape out the ribs and seeds. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, add 3 tablespoons water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the jalapeños turn olive green and are lightly softened but are still firm and hold their shape, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool.
• Stuff each cooled jalapeño with a piece of cream cheese; squeeze the walls around the cream cheese to force out any air pockets and to seal the jalapeño walls together.
• Mix together the cumin, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Pound the chicken lengthwise down the breast to make a rectangular 1/4-inch-thick cutlet. Sprinkle with a quarter of the seasoned salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken and seasoned salt.
• With one of the narrow ends of the chicken facing you, lay a piece of Colby Jack cheese at the bottom of the cutlet. Place 1 stuffed jalapeño crosswise on top of the cheese about 2 inches from the bottom. Tightly roll up the chicken and the cheese around the jalapeño, folding in the sides as you roll. Repeat with the remaining chicken and jalapeños.
• Lay 5 strips of bacon on a clean work surface so that the strips are slightly overlapping (about 1/4-inch) and are wide enough to completely cover a chicken roll. Place 1 chicken roll at the bottom of the bacon blanket. Wrap the bacon tightly over the chicken roll. Repeat with the remaining bacon and chicken rolls.
• Prepare a grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high heat.
• Place the chicken rolls, bacon seam-side down, on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook until the bacon is beginning to brown and the cheese is beginning to melt and ooze from the sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken rolls to the hot side of the grill and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

TIKKA CHICKEN JALAPENO POPPERS

Steps:

• Combine yogurt, garam masala, chicken masala, coriander, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Slice chicken breasts into small strips that will fit on halved jalapenos and place into the bowl with the tikka marinade. Mix well, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes; the longer your marinade, the more of a flavor profile on the chicken.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place a cooling rack on top of a baking tray.
• Snap off jalapeno stems by holding a pepper with one hand and pulling it off to the side. Repeat with remaining peppers. Slice all jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and ribbing using a teaspoon, making sure not to remove white stem area.
• Fill jalapeno halves with cream cheese using a teaspoon; place as much cheese as to your liking. Place a strip of tikka chicken on top of cream cheese and wrap each chicken popper halve with a slice of bacon. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bacon is browned and crisp, about 40 minutes.