Jalapeño Popper Chicken

Got a craving for jalapeño poppers but need something more substantial for dinner? That was me the other day and this recipe for Jalapeño Popper Chicken fit the bill perfectly. Checking off all of my boxes (simple, quick, keto or at least low carb, and delicious) isn’t always easy but this dish was – easy that is…

A few basic ingredients; chicken breasts, cream cheese, shredded cheese and some jalapeño peppers, along with a few pantry staples, are all that you need to put a yummy, Mexican inspired dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.

One of the nice things about this recipe is it is very easily scalable. I made 4 servings with 2 breasts but you can very easily scale up to serve more. You can also adjust the heat according to your tastes, and to the heat of your peppers.

Some additional tips for making this dish;

• Slicing the chicken in half lengthwise helps to keep the time in the oven to a minimum, meaning the chicken breasts won’t dry out and your oven won’t be heating up the house. 
• Softening the cream cheese will help you to spread it over the chicken. I used a fork to short of ‘mash’ it onto the chicken.

• You could use a variety of seasonings for your chicken. I used a fajita spice that I had on hand but chili powder, or even ground cumin (or a mix) would also work great to add a bit of extra flavour.
• The peppers will release a lot of moisture so while I greased my pyrex pan lightly I doubt it was necessary. The added moisture will help to keep your chicken moist – bonus!
• The addition of some cooked crumbled bacon, or even some crushed pork rinds would also be great sprinkled over the top of this dish.
• I used a shredded cheddar blend but a Tex-Mex cheese blend or some jalapeño jack cheese would also be great.

I made this dish twice within a week because I had the peppers to use up. An interesting observation  was that it seemed like the peppers were hotter when I left them in large strips (quartered lengthwise) than they were when I diced them. It may have just been the individual peppers but it could also have been that there is more pronounced flavour when the peppers are left in bigger pieces. Steve liked the hotter version better so the next time I make it I may even cut the peppers in half, squash them with my palm and use them that way. 

Jalapeño Popper Chicken

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Ketogenic, Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 People

Author: Mia Staysko

This super easy Maxi-Inspired dish is sure to please the whole family - even the younger ones if you use mild jalapeños.

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Ingredients

• 2 Skinless chicken breasts bone removed
• 8 Tbsp cream cheese softened
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder, cumin or fajita seasoning
• 2-4 jalapeno peppers more if you like it hot!
• 1 Cup cheddar cheese blend shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°

2. Split the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 filets, about 1/2" thick each

3. Season breasts with salt and pepper and lay them side by side in lightly greased pyrex dish 

4. Slice cream cheese into 1/8" slices, placing a slice of cream cheese over each breast, spreading slightly to cover. Spreading with a fork can help to distribute the cheese evenly, which will be easier if your cheese is at room temperature.

5. Sprinkle cheese with chili powder, cumin or fajita seasoning to taste.

6. Cut jalapeños in half and remove stems. If you want a milder dish remove seeds and membrane with a small spoon (wash your hands afterwards!), if you like a bit more spice you can leave the seeds and membrane in tact. Quarter and flatten with the palm of your hand, dice or thinly slice the peppers, and lay them on top of the chicken breasts and cream cheese.

7. Cover with shredded cheese. You may add more or less to taste but don't skimp out as the cheese layer helps the chicken not to dry out.

8. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°