Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers

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My Easy Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers combine jalapenos which I stuff with shredded chicken, cheese, bacon bits and ranch seasoning. The poppers are then wrapped in a strip of bacon and baked in a hot oven. The result is perfectly cooked chili peppers with a cheesy chicken stuffing all wrapped up in crispy bacon. Delicious!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers

These Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers are a delicious appetizer to serve for any party, gathering, potluck, cookout, or barbecue.

My guys love these Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers, in fact the hotter and spicier the better. They are the perfect snack for game night, and can be easily doubled up if you are feeding a crowd.

They really love to eat jalapeno poppers, and the flavors in my Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers elevate them to another level that my crew has declared AMAZING.

This jalapeno poppers recipe could not be simpler to make, more of an assembly job than anything else.

Also, I prefer to oven bake my stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon as I find them lighter than frying them. Baking the poppers also results in the most deliciously crispy bacon.

How to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl add your chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and ranch mix. 
• Mix until well combined.

• Cut your jalapeños in half and cut out the center and seeds.

• Take your chicken mixture and scoop it into the jalapeños with a spoon (overflow them with the mixture).

• Take your slices of bacon and wrap up each jalapeño.

• Place the bacon wrapped jalapeños on a baking sheet.

• Place them in the oven on 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
• When 15 minutes are up crank the heat up to 450 and bake for another 8 minutes.
• Serve warm from the oven.

Recipe ingredients

• PEPPERS: This recipe makes 10 poppers so I use 5 jalapeños cut in half and de-seeded.
• CHICKEN: I use canned cooked and shredded chicken, but you can also use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie cooked chicken that has been shredded up.
• CHEESE: I combined both mild shredded cheese, something like a mild cheddar or mozzarella, along with cream cheese in the popper filling.
• BACON: 1 cup of bacon bits flavors the chicken, cheese and bacon filling. Then I use a pack of bacon rashers to wrap up each of the poppers.
• SEASONING: I season the poppers using 1/2 a packet of powdered Ranch Dressing Mix.

Flavor variations:

• I have chosen to stuff jalapeños, as they are a milder chili, but you can stuff any variety of chili.
• If you don’t like chilies you could use a small baby bell pepper instead which has no heat to it.
• If you like your poppers super spicy, stir some red pepper flakes through the chicken and cheese stuffing.
• The combination of cream cheese and shredded cheese is delicious with the chicken. I’ve opted for milder cheese, but you can use a a stronger cheese like a sharp cheddar or Gruyere too.
• For super cheesy jalapeno poppers, sprinkle some shredded cheese over the bacon before baking in the oven.
• Play with the seasoning, I use powdered ranch dressing mix, but you could use any variety of spices or spice blends in this dish. Try some smoked paprika, powdered chili, powdered garlic, Cajun spice blend, the list is endless.

Serving suggestion:

These great tasting appetizers are delicious served hot from the oven with a side of ranch dip. Sour cream and chive dip, blue cheese dip, or a cheese and chive dip would work well too.

If you really want to amp up the chili heat you can serve the poppers with a sweet chili sauce, or your favorite hot sauce.

Recipe hints & tips:

• Always take care to wash your hands after handling chilies and avoid touching your face or eyes.
• This recipe can be easily doubled or trebled to feed a larger group of people.
• Use thinner cut bacon strips as they will cook at the same time as the jalapeno.
• Keep an eye on the poppers while they are in the oven. You want to cook them just until the bacon has turned golden and crispy, no longer.

FAQs

Are jalapeno poppers spicy?

Yes, jalapenos are a chili pepper, so they are spicy. However, as far as chilies go they are definitely on the milder side.

Can I make jalapeno poppers ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely. Once assembled, place the poppers onto a tray and cover the tray with kitchen foil. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, remove the foil and bake in the hot oven.

Can you reheat leftover jalapeno poppers?

I rarely have any leftovers, but they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. When ready to reheat place on a baking sheet and warm them through in a hot oven.

Can you freeze jalapeno poppers?

I do not recommend freezing jalapeno poppers as the jalapenos will break down too much during the freezing and defrosting process.

Try these other great appetizers here at When is Dinner:

• Jalapeno Popper Crescent Rolls
• Pizza Crescent Rolls
• Cajun Bacon Wrapped Sausages
• Guacamole Deviled Eggs
• Loaded Ranch Twice Baked Potatoes

These are a few items I find helpful when preparing this Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers in my own kitchen:

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue Stainless Chili Pepper Roasting Rack and Corer SetPyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL 31161-201 CLASSIC Chef’s Knife, 8 Inch, BlackRachael Ray 56524 3-Piece Oven Lovin’ Cookie Pan Steel Baking Sheet Set, Gray with Orange GripsDOWAN 14-Inch Porcelain Serving Platters/Dinner Plate Set – 3 Packs, White & RectangularJalapeno Poppers: and Other Stuffed Chili PeppersJalapeno Madness: Jalapeno Recipes GaloreEasy Jalapeno Cookbook: 50 Delicious and Spicy Jalapeno Recipes