Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken is an easy 4-ingredient low carb dinner recipe that combines jalapeno popper stuffed chicken breasts and crispy bacon!
Because bacon makes everything better, enjoy grilling or baking this four-ingredient Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken for dinner or a game day feast. This recipe is high in fat (hello, bacon and cream cheese), high in protein, and low in carbs which makes it perfect for anyone following a keto diet.
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BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPER STUFFED CHICKEN RECIPE
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You know I love to cook. I live to eat. I buy food based on taste. To me, food equals comfort and connection. It is my belief that when you take the time to make things from scratch and look for high-quality brands and ingredients, it is always worth the effort you put in. I also believe that bacon deserves its own food group.
Let’s face it – bacon makes just about every meal better. I think a bacon jalapeno pairing is one of the best flavor combinations in the world, so it only made sense to make a bacon wrapped jalapeno popper chicken breast for dinner.
How do you make a bacon weave?
To arrange your bacon into a basket weave to make your bacon wrapped stuffed chicken, you will first need to lay down four slices lengthwise. Then, cut two more slices in have to create some short bacon slices. You will then weave the four short slices through the long slices.
I thought about simply wrapping the bacon around the chicken, but quickly came to the realization that I could make dinner a lot more interesting while using even more bacon if I did a bacon weave instead! More bacon is always the better choice. I never limit myself or feel guilty when I indulge – in fact, I encourage you to do the same. Life is too short for only one piece of bacon.
What else can you make with a bacon weave? Everyone loves meatloaf, but meatloaf with bacon is out of this world. To use a bacon weave with the best meatloaf recipe ever created, simply form the meatloaf, place the bacon weave on top, bake, and then cover with the sauce.
How do you stuff chicken breasts?
There’s a trick to stuffing the chicken breasts so that the cheese doesn’t ooze out when you cook it. Lay the breast on a cutting board so that you open up the small piece with the chicken tender like a book. Be sure to keep this piece attached. Then, using a small, sharp knife, cut a pocket in the thick part of the breast, taking care to not cut all the way through.
Use your fingers to reach into the chicken breast and make the pocket as big as possible without tearing it. Then, stuff your cream cheese and jalapenos in the center and use the chicken tender part to wrap around and seal the opening. Pretty cool trick, eh? In the photo below, the breast on the right has already been stuffed and wrapped.
Lay that stuffed sealed chicken breast on top of that lovely bacon weave that you made and then roll it on over. Tuck the ends of the bacon underneath as best as you can and secure with toothpicks where needed.
How do you cook chicken wrapped in bacon?
Funny story (sort of) – I was planning on baking these in the oven but my lower heating element broke when I was preheating the oven. Awesome, right? Not really. Fortunately our barbecue was a few steps away and it was a gorgeous day to be cooking outside.
Basically, you can cook these in the oven or the barbecue and they will turn out perfectly. I highly recommend using an internal thermometer so you know exactly when they are cooked. Although the bacon wrap will be fully cooked and rendered by the time the chicken is cooked, it may not appear done as it won’t be dark and crispy.
If you prefer your bacon to finish off with a little sizzle and a beautiful golden brown finish, you’re going to want to pop it in the oven under the broiler for 5-10 minutes to finish it off. Just be sure to start this process at least 5 degrees before it reaches final cooking temperature and crack that oven door to get the nice brown without over cooking it, if needed. Fortunately – it was my lower heating element that broke so I was able to use my broiler without any issue.
What do you serve with bacon wrapped jalapeno pepper stuffed chicken?
Not gonna lie. This chicken recipe is pretty rich and decadent, but oh-so-satisfying.
This recipe really was incredibly easy to make. I served it up with some smashed potatoes and sautéed fresh corn.
I was worried my jalapenos were going to be too spicy because my fingers and nostrils were burning when I was cutting them, but by the time they cooked, it was perfect. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this dinner was.
These jalapeno stuffed popper chicken breasts would be perfect for tailgating too! Just prepare them ahead of time, wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store in your cooler during transport, and then cook them up on the grill. The smell is amazing and you will certainly have everyone wishing you were their best friend at the game!
Love bacon jalapeno recipes?
Be sure to check out these favorites:
- Jalapeño Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Cheesy Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Jalepeño Mac and Cheese
- Mini Bacon Jalapeno Egg Salad Sandwiches
- Bacon Jalapeno Fry Sauce
- Stuffed Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers
- Bacon Jalapeno Frittata
- Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs
- Bacon Jalapeño Twiced Baked Potato Bites
- Wrapped Bacon Jalapeño Poppers
- Bacon Jalapeño Football Fondue
- Twice Baked Potato Jalapeno Poppers
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon 12 slices
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds
- 2-4 jalapenos stems and seeds removed, chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese
Instructions
- To arrange the bacon in the basket weave pattern, lay four slices lengthwise. Then cut two slices in half to create four short slices. Weave the four short slices through the long slices.
- To stuff the chicken, pull the tender away from the main breast but leave it attached. Then, using a small sharp knife, create a pocket starting near the chicken tender. You want this pocket to be as big as possible without cutting all the way through the chicken.
- Divide the cream cheese and jalapenos evenly between the two breasts and stuff them in the pocket you cut. Then, take the attached tender and roll it over the opening to seal it.
- Place the stuffed breast on top of the bacon weave and roll it over so that the bacon is on top. Secure any loose pieces of bacon with a toothpick. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest piece.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven or grill for 50-55 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees F. For the final few minutes of cooking, place the bacon wrapped breasts under the broiler to give them a nice brown. You want your final cooking temperature to reach 165 degrees F, so once you hit that, broil with the oven door open if you prefer more browning.
- Allow chicken to rest for at least five minutes. Slice with a serrated edge knife.
Nutrition
This post was originally created in September 2016 and has been updated with more fun facts and tidbits for your reading pleasure.
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