Dinnertime-ready, this jalapeno popper chicken is creamy and delicious with the perfect amount of heat! It has all of the flavors of your favorite appetizers but in one easy-to-make meal!
2-3wholejalapeños, seeded, diced(more or less to your liking)
1cupColby jack cheese, shredded
1/2cupcooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a 13x9 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Prepare the chicken breasts by removing any fat from the chicken. If the chicken breasts are thick, feel free to cut them in half if you need them to cook faster. Place the chicken breasts in the prepared dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix using a handheld electric mixer until ingredients are combined. Spread mixture over the chicken breasts.
Next, sprinkle on the diced jalapeños, shredded cheese, and crumbled bacon. See tips in notes for the jalapeños and bacon.
Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through and internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Bake time will depend on the thickness of your chicken. To cook faster, feel free to cut the chicken breasts in half.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Garnish with extra sliced jalapeños and fresh cilantro if you like!
Notes
*When cutting jalapeños, carefully remove the stem first. Slice lengthwise down the middle of the pepper, and remove the seeds. This is where the heat comes from the pepper! Be sure to wash your hands well after removing the seeds. If you touch your eyes or face without washing your hands, it will burn and be very unpleasant. Feel free to use more peppers if you like it hot, or even keep some of the seeds you want it really hot.**Pre-cooked store-bought bacon is a great shortcut! Simply microwave according to instructions and crumble.