As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Jalapeño poppers aren’t just an appetizer anymore! Now, you can enjoy them in a delicious and flavorful casserole.
The fresh jalapeños give the dish a perfectly spicy kick, while chicken and cheese balance that heat out with savory creaminess.
How to make jalapeño popper chicken casserole
- Prepare And Cook Chicken: Toss together chicken thighs, salt, and pepper then transfer the seasoned chicken to a baking rack set atop a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which should take about 30 minutes.
- Prepare Remaining Ingredients: While chicken cooks, crisp up bacon slices on stovetop then crumble into pieces. Brown jalapeños on stovetop then mix in cubed cream cheese, mayonnaise, and hot sauce.
- Shred Chicken And Mix With Other Ingredients: Transfer cooked chicken to a mixing bowl and shred before mixing in the crumbled bacon and the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake Casserole: Transfer that mixture to a baking pan, spread into an even layer, sprinkle on shredded cheese then bake for 10 minutes before broiling for 2-3 minutes.
Ingredient substitutions for this jalapeño popper casserole recipe
- Chicken Thighs: Rotisserie chicken, chicken breast, or tenderloins make great chicken thigh alternatives although, chicken thighs are fattier and tend to have more flavor.
- Jalapeños: You can use jarred jalapeños if you cannot find fresh jalapeños. Serrano peppers would work great, too.
- Cream Cheese: You can use vegan cream cheese or, if you consume nuts, you can substitute almond milk cream cheese at a 1:1 ratio.
- Mayonaise: Full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream can be used instead of mayo at a 1:1 ratio.
- Hot Sauce: You can use 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (or up to 1/2 tsp if you like a lot of spice) in place of hot sauce.
- Shredded Mozzarella: Shredded provolone or white cheddar can be used in place of mozzarella.
- Shredded Sharp Cheese: Colby or Monterey jack will work here.
FAQs
Can this casserole be prepared ahead of time to bake later?
Yes. This is an excellent dish to prepare ahead of time for the week. Follow the directions in the recipe until it’s time to bake, then refrigerate for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, follow the baking instructions in the recipe and enjoy!
How to store this casserole?
Yes, store the cooked dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, pop in the microwave until heated throughout or in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
More low-carb recipes
Email Recipe
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe!
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole
This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole features seasoned chicken shredded and mixed into a deliciously rich mixture of crispy bacon, cream cheese, hot sauce, and spicy jalapeños before being topped with shredded cheese and baked to bubbling browned perfection. It’s the ideal casserole for family dinners and can be made in just over 1 hour!
Ingredients
- 20 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 6 slices bacon, roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeños, finely chopped
- 12 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with foil. Place baking rack atop lined baking sheet.
- In a mixing bowl, toss chicken thighs in salt and pepper. Transfer seasoned chicken to prepared baking rack. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate to remove excess grease. Do not discard bacon grease.
- In pan of bacon grease over medium heat, add chopped jalapeños and cook until softened and edges are browned, about 3 minutes. To pan, add cubed cream cheese, mayonnaise, and hot sauce and cook until cream cheese has softened and all ingredients are well-combined, about 5 minutes.
- Once chicken has finished cooking, remove baking sheet from oven. Do not turn oven off. Transfer chicken to mixing bowl and shred using two forks. Mix in crumbled bacon and cream cheese mixture.
- Transfer mixture to 8×8 baking pan and, using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar atop mixture. Transfer baking pan to middle rack of oven and bake for 10 minutes before turning oven broiler on and broiling for 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow casserole to cool slightly before cutting into pieces.
Recipe Notes
Preparing In Advance To Bake Later: Follow the directions in the recipe until it’s time to bake, then refrigerate for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, follow the baking instructions in the recipe and enjoy!
Refrigerator Storage: Store the cooked dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, pop it in the microwave until heated throughout or in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
Freezer Storage: Store the cooked and cooled casserole in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 564kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 2g (1%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 47g (72%), Saturated Fat: 21g (131%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 192mg (64%), Sodium: 996mg (43%), Potassium: 317mg (9%), Fiber: 0.2g (1%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 315IU (6%), Vitamin C: 9mg (11%), Calcium: 173mg (17%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Photo credit: Jess Larson
Leave a Reply