Bacon wrapped jalapeno popper chicken

Bacon. Enough said. I feel like you can put bacon on/in anything and it always makes the dish taste that much more delicious. That salty crunchy goodness goes especially perfectly with this chicken dish.

This Jalapeno popper dish is exactly what it sounds like. Chicken stuffed with all the fillings you would normally stuff your jalapeno with, and then wrapped in bacon and BBQ'd to crispy perfection.

Not only is this dish easy to make with just a few ingredients, but it will absolutely be one that your whole family (even those picky eaters) love. Is it the healthiest recipe you will ever make? No. But like I said before- I am all about the 80/20 rule (more like 70/30 in the summer) and I still feel okay about this dish because even though its not "good for you" it doesn't come out of a box and I am all about real, homemade food.

Not only am I all about the bacon, but I am all about spicy. I pretty much put hot sauce on everything I eat. If you have anyone in your house that doesn't like spice, you can make a non-spicy version of this dish by substituting the jalapeños for green bell pepper (or leave the peppers out all together).

I have made this dish multiple times because it is a favourite of both mine and my picky husbands but this is the first time I have grilled it- and let me tell you, I don't think I will ever make it another way again. The BBQ added so much awesome grill flavor and it just tasted like the perfect summer dish.

The recipe below is for 3 chicken breasts because I made 1 extra to pack it for a lunch or eat it for leftovers when we do a leftover night but if you are cooking for 2 you can save the extra filling and use it as a dip, or stuff some mushrooms with it. If you are cooking for 4, add a little more of each ingredient to have a little more filling to stuff an extra chicken breast.

Recipe:

3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 jalapeño peppers, de-seeded and chopped
10 slices of bacon (3 for each chicken breast plus 1 extra)
1/2 block light cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1) Take each chicken breast and cut it so that it is flat (think like an open book). This part is probably the most difficult part of the whole process. Hold your chicken breast and cut lengthwise so that the breast looks flat. Make sure that you do not cut all the way through because if you do, you won't be able to stuff/roll it. Remember- you can always cut more. Once your breasts are cut, place a piece of parchment paper on top and pound them so that they are nice and flat. You want them to be pretty thin with lots of surface area which will make them easy to stuff and roll.

2) Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and set to the side

3) Cut up 1 slice of bacon into small pieces (this is where that extra piece is being used). Add it to a small sauté pan with your chopped jalapeños. Cook on medium until the bacon is cooked and the jalapeños are still firm but starting to get soft. This step ensures that your filling will have a bacon-y flavor and also that your jalapeños wont still be hard and crunchy when you bite into the chicken.

4) Remove the bacon/jalapeños from the heat and add your cream cheese to the pan. Stir until combined.

5) Stir in your shredded cheddar cheese and mix until this is combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6) Spread 1/3 of the mixture onto each chicken breast- try to keep the filling a little away from the edges so it is easier to roll (See picture below)

7) Roll chicken up- you almost just fold it over and tuck it in so that all of the filling will stay in the chicken when it is cooking. ( Don't worry if its not perfect- the bacon will hold it all together)



8) Once your chicken is rolled, wrap each chicken breast with 3 slices of bacon- I did 2 around the sides and then added the 3rd lengthwise to hold everything in. (See picture below)

9) Heat your grill up and cook on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Use the top rack of your BBQ to grill the chicken and place tin foil on the main grill so that the grease doesn't drip down and start a fire in your BBQ.
*note- you do not need to keep flipping the chicken once it is on the grill. Leave it for the first 10-15 minutes and then flip and let cook on the other side until it is done- if you try and flip it too much, your bacon will slide around and the filling will start to drip out.

10. Serve with your favourite veggies and side. (I did corn on the cob and rice)

11) Enjoy