Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken is a fantastic dinner recipe – fast and easy. Chicken breasts stuffed with jalapenos, cheddar, and cream cheese, this dish is like a party in your mouth.
Who can resist that melting oozing cheese and bits of jalapeno peeking through?
My family LOVES jalapeno poppers and we order them every chance we get. But those things are usually deep-fried, and I wanted to create a healthier version that we can eat for dinner. We also love stuffed chicken so this is a win-win!
Since the first time I made this jalapeno popper stuffed chicken, it has been on our dinner rotation. This is just like the appetizer, but healthier because it’s baked and so fast and easy to put together.
Ingredients in Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
Chicken Breasts: These are easy to butterfly and stuff and they cook really fast which makes them the obvious choice for this recipe
Cheese: I like using cream cheese and sharp cheddar for creaminess and that melty cheesy flavor
Jalapenos: You can use either fresh or canned jalapenos. If you want to cut down on the heat, just deseed the jalapenos and dice them up. The seeds are where all the heat is
Egg Wash: This is what helps bind the breadcrumbs to the chicken for that crispy outside. I season it simply with salt and pepper.
Panko Breadcrumbs: I love using Panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs every chance I get. They become super crispy when baked or fried. I season these with salt and a little paprika before using them to dredge the chicken breasts.
Butter: Right before baking, brushing the breasts with a little melted butter adds flavor and also helps the breadcrumbs become crisp and golden brown. You can just spray butter or oil too.
Cooking Chicken
- It’s important that you preheat your oven before baking the chicken breasts. If you don’t, the breasts will stay in for longer and finally end up becoming a little stringy or stay undercooked. A preheated oven will ensure that they are cooked evenly.
- Every time I cook chicken, I also like to use a meat thermometer to check if the meat is cooked properly. This really takes the guesswork out of cooking chicken. You want the internal temperature of the chicken to be 165 degrees when you check the thickest part of the breast.
- Chicken breasts take only 30 minutes in the oven, which makes this recipe really fast to put together.
While the breasts are cooking, I like to quickly put together a side salad to go with it. Trust me when I say – everyone will be fighting over this dish, so maybe make extras! This disappears fast!
More Delicious stuffed Chicken Recipes
- Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
- Broccoli Stuffed Chicken
- Cream Cheese Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan
Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup Cream Cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sharp Cheddar, shredded
- 2 Jalapenos, deseeded and diced
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 2 tablespoons Butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Slice each chicken breast lengthwise 3/4th of the way so that its butterflied but not sliced completely in a way that you create a pocket.
- In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar and jalapeno and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together egg, salt and pepper and set aside. And in a third bowl, mix breadcrumbs, salt and paprika and set aside.
- Stuff the chicken breast with the jalapeno mixture and secure the edges with a toothpick. Repeat till all the chicken breasts are stuffed.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the breast and then dip each breast first in the egg mixture and then dredge it with breadcrumbs.
- Place these prepared chicken breasts on a baking sheet and brush the top with melted butter. Bake for 30-35 minutes till the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F. Serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by: The Mindful Hapa
I’ve made this many times and my family and guests love it. I even served this chicken for Thanksgiving instead of turkey. I do have a issue with the cream cheese filling spilling out during cooking though. I’ve tried toothpicks and cutting the chicken at a upwards angle with not much luck. Any extra tips for keeping the filing inside?
I have made this so many times and it is amazing. Have cooked it for guests who also loved it. I serve with mash or hassleback pots.
Definitely cook at a higher temp; but this one is a winner! Combined with mashed potatoes…so good!
Hi! I think you have the temperature wrong (its 200F), feel free to delete this comment after you see it. I’m excited to try this at 400F.
Thanks for pointing that out, Amanda. Recipe updated 🙂
Is this oven temperature correct?