Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken

We love jalapeno poppers, but we REALLY love jalapeno-popper stuffed chicken! This easy recipe is great to share and can be prepped ahead of time for easy cooking.

Cuisine

American

Course

Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks

Difficulty

Easy

Cooking Technique

Air Fryer, Instant Pot Duo Crisp, Instant Pot Duo Crisp / Pro Crisp, Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

Keywords

9-11 servings, air fryer, american, appetizer, cook 60 min, dinner, easy, entertaining, game day, Instant Pot Culinary Team, instant pot duo crisp, instant pot duo crisp / pro crisp, instant pot duo crisp with ultimate lid, lunch, prep 30 min, salt as needed, snacks, ㅤ

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

60 min

Servings

9-11 Servings

Ingredients

1.5 lb. chicken tenders, butterflied ㅤ
1 lb. bacon ㅤ
4 oz. cream cheese ㅤ
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ㅤ
1 tsp garlic powder ㅤ
3 jalapenos, deseeded and minced ㅤ
salt as needed

Instructions

Add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and minced jalapenos to a mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. The filling should resemble the consistency of a thick paste.
To butterfly the chicken tenderloins, lie the chicken flat along the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a slit horizontally along the side of the chicken, as if you were evenly cutting the chicken into two flat halves. Be careful not to cut all the way through. You want the chicken to remain attached from both ends. Continue slicing until all the tenders are butterflied. Sprinkle salt over the chicken.
Open the pocket of each chicken and spread about a tablespoon of filling inside of each. Close the pocket.
Gently tug on each end of the bacon strips so they flatten and elongate. Wrap 1 to 2 pieces of bacon around a stuffed chicken tender, slightly overlapping so the entire chicken is encased. Set aside and continue wrapping until all chicken is covered.
Preheat the air fryer at 375˚F / 190 ˚C. Place a few bacon wrapped chickens in the air fryer basket, careful to not overlap or crowd. Air fry for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flip the chicken over and Air fry for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the filling is gooey. Continue air frying until all the chicken is done. Serve warm and enjoy!