This photo was taken at the Westex 2014 restaurant show. The chef for Red Bird was giving cooking demos. This is a very simple appetizer ideal for game day parties. These jalapeno poppers are stuffed with chicken strips and cotija cheese, but this recipe is fail-proof and there are many great ways to vary it.
Here are some suggested variations:
– Leave the chicken out
– Use cream cheese or cheddar cheese instead of cotija cheese
– Use blue cheese, or blue cheese mixed with cream cheese
– Blend 2-3 cloves of pressed garlic with the cheese
– Blend pimentos or olives with the cheese
Other ideas? Let me know!
To serve these at a party, you’ll want to prepare hours or even a day ahead of time, cover them and refrigerate until it’s almost time to serve them. Then you just pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes and serve them hot.
- 25 fresh jalapeno peppers
- 1 lb cotija cheese
- 1 lb cooked chicken strips
- 2 (16 ounce) packages bacon
- Cut stems off of jalapenos and cut each in half lengthwise. Remove seeds.
- Cut the chicken into smaller pieces, about half the size of the inside of each jalapeno boat.
- Put a piece of chicken in each jalapeno and then fill with cotija cheese.
- Wrap ½ slice of bacon around each pepper half.
- Place on baking sheets and bake in 450 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked.
- Remove and serve.
- Enjoy!
Yum- one of my favorite things to indulge in!