Jalapeño Popper Chicken

This jalapeño popper chicken is going to be your favorite way to enjoy jalapeño popper dip for dinner. This low carb dinner has all the goodness of a jalapeño popper, but with the extra goodness of chicken thighs. 

Jalapeño Popper dip is one of my favorite’s to munch on. What’s not to like about cream cheese, bacon, jalapeños, and more cheese? I love to eat jalapeño popper dip cold, but there is something magical that happens when you bake all the ooey gooey cheese and it melts into the bacon and jalapeños. 

In an effort to combine one of my favorite appetizers with something acceptable for dinner, I decided to add in some chicken and create the perfect dinner.

Ingredients

• Bacon: I like to cut into 1″ pieces and cook in the same skillet I will be searing the chicken thighs. However, if you want to save time use pre cooked bacon. If using precooked bacon add in a little of your favorite cooking oil to sear the chicken.
• Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs really make this dish, but if all you have is chicken breast you can use that! Chicken thighs are a more economical cut and keeps their moisture when baking.
• Jalapeños: I used 3-4 diced peppers for a mild heat. Feel free to add more if you like more heat. You can also use jared jalapeños.
• Onion: white or yellow works.
• Cream Cheese: Just like your favorite dip
• Greek Yogurt: you can also swap this out for sour cream. We are just trying to make the dip a little more creamy.
• Cheddar Cheese: I love using sharp cheddar, but swap for your favorite cheese.

How to Make Jalapeño Popper Chicken

• Preheat oven to 400. 
• In a skillet cook your bacon, remove from skillet and drain all but a few tbsp of the grease. 

• Season your chicken thighs with salt and pepper and then add chicken thighs to skillet.

• Sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and set aside for later. 

• Add in onion and jalapeño. Cook until softened. 

• Add in cream cheese, yogurt, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Cook until melted. 

• Once the mixture is nice and melty add back in chicken thighs. Scooping up the cheese mixture to top each of the chicken thighs.

• Add on remaining shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. 

• Bake for 30-40 minutes. Or until the chicken has reached around 170. 

Is the dish spicy?

In all honesty, our family is not a spicy house. We prefer most of our stuff fairly mild and none of us felt that it was spicy at all. Feel free to up the amount of pepper you use if you like more heat to your popper dip.

What if I don’t have a cast iron skillet?

No Problem!! Place your chicken thighs into a baking dish and then layer on the melted cream cheese mixture! You don’t have to bake it all in the skillet.

Share Your Experience

I would love to hear about your experience making and enjoying this Jalapeño Popper Chicken! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or leave a review below. Your feedback helps me improve our recipes and provides inspiration to fellow home cooks.

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