Add bacon to anything and it will fly off the table. That’s what a caterer once told me and I believe it. Certainly applies here.
Whether you’re planning a cookout this weekend or cooking indoors (rain predicted here in Texas), grill up a few of these sizzling treats for a quick appetizer or serve as an entree. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with a big plate of these spicy and cheesy, smoky and crispy chicken nuggets.
If you don’t like hot, leave out the jalapenos or skimp a bit. I definitely prefer fresh jalapenos over the canned or pickled ones traditionally used with nachos. They are milder and prettier too.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites
Makes 16 bite-size appetizers.
Ingredients:
8 chicken tenders, flattened and cut in two
3-ounce package softened cream cheese
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
8 slices bacon, cut in half
Directions:
First: Dab 1/2 teaspoon (more or less) of cream cheese on top of each chicken tender. Sprinkle a scant 1/4 teaspoon of peppers over cream cheese. Fold or roll chicken to enclose cream cheese mixture. Wrap each roll with one piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Second: Grill until bacon is brown and crispy on both sides.
Notes:
- Be sure to wear plastic gloves when handling fresh jalapenos. The oil will attach itself to your hands and is not easily washed away. An inadvertent swipe of the hand close to your eyes could be an unforgettable experience.
- For reference, if you are substituting for the chicken tenders (i.e. dark meat, large pieces of chicken breast, game meat), the size of the tenders I used were 5-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide before flattening and cutting in half.
- Try flattening meat inside a zip-lock bag as pictured above. No flying pieces, no contamination on your cutting board from the chicken, and cleanup is super easy.
Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood.
More ideas for bacon…
Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Hearty Baked Beans
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum. I want some.
I`d like to tase such little and delicious bites
Those look absolutely delicious!
I miss the Texana restaurant and their Joe-Bob’s chicken. This looks like a good substitute. Thanks.
I miss that place too!
Romaine,
These chicken bites look wonderful. I may have to make these for my sister when she comes back from CA. I will tell her I am making them for her but I agree with Kyle. I want some!!! I am printing this out now! Thanks so much.
Those suckers would be gone in about 2 seconds at my house! I am definitely making these–we love our spicy food!
Wow, these look so so good! I will definitely make them sometime, I know everyone will love them!
Mmmm–very appealing appetizer for my next BBQ!
These look like they might be fattening. Where can I find more?
I agree – I read “bacon-wrapped” and had to get the recipe. These look so wonderful – you have a knack with making non-baked goods look quite appetizing – I’d hate to see what mine looked like. This looks like a real winner in my family (cept for mom) – but peppers aren’t for everyone! Oh – 64 was the high today, cloudy and sprinkles. Welcome to the club – and Happy 4th!
Wow, those look crazy good! And what a fun appetizer for a summer party!
We’ve been making something similar for awhile… but we use pheasant and stuff the bits inside the jalapeno halves. Then drizzle honey over them after baking them in the oven.
Honey? M-m-m-m. Sounds good. We also like to dip them in barbecue sauce.
Heed the warning about being careful of chili oils…anyone who works in the industry will tell you that it’s not the eyes you really have to worry about, but pretty much any sensitive areas or mucous membranes. It’s easy to cripple yourself with pain for a while.
Adding bacon does make everything go quickly, but so does frying. I’m wondering how these would be with a tempura batter and a cilantro lime chili aioli.
Really like the thought of making the chicken bites for appetizers at our next gathering!
the jar of lettuce looks good
This is just beautiful! I’m going to make it this week!
saw this today and so will be eating them!:)
Hi,
I stumbled across your Awesome Web page!!!!!
I can’t wait to be able to start cooking!!!!!!
Just curious, how would this taste without cream cheese? Family is not big on it!!!!
Seems like it would change the character of the dish dramatically. Do they like “spicy”? Perhaps you could roll a strip of jalapeno up inside the chicken and then wrap with bacon. Let me know if you try it.
maybe you could mix some shredded cheddar-jack in the cream cheese.. the bacon-jalapeno marriage needs something creamy to make it dreamy. unless you don’t do dairy at all, in which case i send my condolences.
we cannot all scream for ice cream.
I make these without the chicken. I use the half a jalp for each one and put the cream cheese in the pepper shell and then wrap in bacon. I’m sure its delicious with the chicken added.
They are definitely my favorite appetizer.
I make pretty much the same dish, but with shrimp. Preparation can be a little time consuming, but they are great. We dip them in ranch dressing. Fresh jalapenos are the best.
Shrimp sounds absolutely fantastic!
Jalapeno poppers meet chicken with bacon on the side? I am shivering with anticipation. I’m picking up the fixins’ tonight.
we smoked ours and then finished them off in the oven. YUM!!!
These were awesome! We just made them for dinner (I prepped them and my boyfriend grilled them). The next time, I will add a bit of seasoning to the chicken and/or cream cheese. Maybe a bit of pepper, garlic and onion powder.
The extra seasoning seems like a wonderful idea!
love this creative variation. I’m usually boring and use wrap asparagus with bacon… but the jalapeno idea is great!
had these last weekend but without the cream cheese. also used strips of jalapeno, not diced. and they used rabbit. OMG!!!! it was wonderful. there is an Australian restaurant near Gilbert, Arizona that we went to. they served them.
I’m currently cooking these cant wait to see how they turn out!
Wow! My son found this recipe and forwarded it to me. I made them tonight and they are fabulous!! They will definitely be a repeat. I used fresh jalapenos and the heat was just right. Mine came out a big big for a one bite appetizer so I will adjust them the next time. I could see mixing some Colby Jack shredded cheese in softened cream cheese for an alternative. Wide open for interpretation! Thank you for a great recipe and a great web site. Salad in a jar – that’s my next try.
Colby Jack would be wonderful.
Can’t wait to hear if you try the Salad in a Jar.
I mix shredded cheddar and jack with the cream cheese. You should try it. It’s better.
I will try. Sounds fabulous!