Creamy, rich, and packed with flavor, this Jalapeño Popper Chicken is an easy, budget-friendly meal the whole family will adore. Succulent chicken thighs topped with cream cheese, jalapeños, cheddar and bacon – it’s a surefire win for everyone at your table.
Every time I think life is going to slow down a bit, I find myself just as busy as ever. So creating easy keto dinner recipes is always top of my priority list.
But those easy dinners have to taste great, too. It’s no good creating healthy meals if no one wants to eat them. I threw this Jalapeño Popper Chicken together one day when I was short on time, and it was an instant hit with the whole family. Getting three grumpy teens to all agree on one meal? Priceless!
If you love jalapeño poppers, be sure to try my Keto Jalapeño Popper Pizza next!
Why you will love it
★★★★★
Yvette says: “I made this last night for dinner, followed the recipe exactly, and it was soooooo delicious. It is going to be a regular on our dinner menu. This is why I own so many of your cookbooks! Your recipes are all tried and true.“
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Thin sliced bacon tends to crisp up a little better.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Some readers used chicken breast instead. If you do use chicken breasts, cut them into thinner pieces.
- Cream cheese: Use full fat cream cheese.
- Heavy whipping cream: This adds
- Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic, but you can also use garlic powder.
- Jalapeño peppers: If you want something less spicy, you can use poblano or anaheim peppers. If you like more spice, keep the seeds in the jalapeños.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: You can shred your own or use pre-shredded cheese.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Chicken
- Cook the bacon: In a large skillet over medium, cook the chopped bacon until crisp.
- Brown the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and cook until nicely browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the thighs to a glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, whipping cream, and garlic. Spread over the chicken in the dish.
- Assemble: Sprinkle with the jalapeno and cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with the chopped bacon.
- Bake the casserole: Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy!
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
I like to chop the bacon before cooking it, as it gets more evenly crisp this way. Drain most of the grease from the pan but keep about one tablespoon for browning the chicken.
Browning the chicken before baking brings out more flavor. If you just add the sauce and toppings to raw chicken, the casserole ends up more watery as well.
Make sure the cream cheese is really soft before making the sauce. I like to pop mine in the microwave for 15 seconds or so first. It makes the sauce more creamy and smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Keto Chicken Recipes to Love
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 6 medium (6) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- Salt and pepper
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3 tbsp (45.65 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 small jalapeno peppers, minced
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- In a large skillet over medium, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate and remove all but 1 tbsp of the grease.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and cook until nicely browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and transfer the thighs to a glass or ceramic baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, whipping cream, and garlic. Spread over the chicken in the dish.
- Sprinkle with the jalapeno and cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with the chopped bacon. Bake about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Well, that was amazing. I was out of cheddar and ended up using provolone cheese slices, but oh, boy! Great recipe. I’ll be making this again.
Great to hear!
I made this today for the first time using a whole rotisserie chicken torn into pieces. It tasted great. I think I will double the white sauce next time though since this method made it drier and also might cover while baking (?). Any advice appreciated! Will definitely make this again.
I haven’t tried it with pre-cooked chicken like that. I might cook it for less time (10 min?) to melt everything but not dry out the chicken. If you want to brown up the top, put it under the broiler for a minute or two.
This Jalapeno Popper Chicken was SO good!! It’ll be on repeat!
Great to hear!
One of my go to recipes. Absolutely 5 stars.
Thank you!
It looks wonderful… Can I use cooked chicken thighs from a roasted chicken from Costco?
Well, I guess? I am not sure it will be the same. But feel free to experiment!
So delicious. I make this using the jalapeño peppers from my garden. It’s one of my husband’s favorites. Very easy to put together!
Thank you!
I made this when I was on keto, it was amazing. I’ve been off keto for a couple years but can’t stop thinking of this casserole. I am making it tonight.
I found all your recipes to be amazing…..
thank you
I made this last night and it was so good!
This recipe is in frequent rotation at our house. Our whole family loves it!
I’ve made this many times, but I use chicken breast. It is quick and easy and it is sooo good!