Jalapeño Popper Chicken

Jalapeno Popper Chicken in a skillet with bacon and green onions on top and a spoon in the middle.

Jalapeño Popper Chicken

This Jalapeño Popper Chicken has seasoned chicken smothered in a creamy Jalapeño Popper sauce with bacon and green onions. It's an easy skillet recipe and a fun dinner idea!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Sauce

1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ chicken bouillon cube
¾ teaspoon EACH: oregano, mustard powder, parsley, onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Chicken/Other

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt/pepper to taste
¾ teaspoon paprika
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings
3-4 Jalapenos seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons flour
4 oz. cream cheese softened & cut into cubes
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Toppings:

5 strips cooked bacon roughly chopped
3 green onions sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pro Tip: Cook the bacon low and slow in a separate skillet until crispy on each side while you measure out the ingredients/prepare the dish. Consider reserving 2 tbsp. drippings to use instead of butter in the recipe. Roughly chopped once cooled.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick.
Season each side of the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.
Turn the heat off and let the pan cool. Add the butter and set the heat to medium. Add the diced jalapenos and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is gone.
Add the sauce mixture from step 2 in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let the sauce cool for 1 minute.
Stir in the cream cheese and the sour cream. Once melted and combined, sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, stirring continuously.
Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Allow it to heat through for 2-3 minutes.
Top with chopped bacon and green onions. Serving options include rice, black beans, coleslaw, roasted potatoes, garlic bread, tortilla chips, corn salad, and roasted vegetables.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Shred the cheese from a block to ensure is tastes and melts the best. I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese. Cheddar Jack, Pepper Jack, and Monterey Jack are other great varieties to use.
Spice Level: This sauce has a kick to it but I wouldn't call it overly spicy. To decrease the spice, be sure to remove the entire white membrane from the jalapeno (that's where the heat is), as well as the seeds
Serving Suggestions: Jalapeno Popper Chicken pairs well with with Corn Salad, Rice, Black Beans, Coleslaw, Tortilla Chips, Guacamole, Salsa, Roasted Potatoes, Potato Wedges, Roasted Vegetables, Garlic Bread.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze/reheat well, just be sure to reheat gradually to keep the sauce from breaking.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Nutrition