This Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken is so good. All you need is light cream cheese, cheddar and jalapeno peppers!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breasts – you can technically try using chicken thighs, but it’ll likely be too hard to stuff the slits.
- Olive oil – use any other neutral cooking oil like canola or grapeseed oil.
- Paprika – cayenne will work in a pinch but has more of a kick.
- Salt – to taste.
- Block light cream cheese – if you don’t have any cream cheese, use ½ cup sour cream or ½ cup Greek yogurt instead.
- Cheddar cheese – you can use any type of cheese here like Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
- Jalapenos – bell peppers will also work if you find jalapenos too spicy.
How to make jalapeno popper chicken
- Make cuts in the chicken.
- Season the chicken.
- Microwave the cream cheese.
- Stir in the cheddar and jalapenos.
- Stuff the chicken and bake.
- Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with jalapeno popper chicken
This chicken goes with just about any side dish! Here are my recommendations:
- Tater tots or fries
- Roasted potatoes
- Side salad
- Roasted or steamed broccoli
- Veggies and dip
Frequently Asked Questions
Hasselback chicken is an easier way of making stuffed chicken. Instead of making one cut lengthwise across the chicken and stuffing the middle, you’ll make several deep slits along the chicken breast. Stuff each slit with some of the mixture and voila!
This jalapeno popper chicken recipe has about 376 calories per serving, so it’s a great low-calorie meal option.
This chicken is not that spicy, but if you want to make it even milder, the trick is to remove the seeds from the jalapenos. Make sure you remove the seeds from the jalapenos entirely, along with the white pithy areas. If you're still unsure if it will be too spicy for you, you can use pickled jalapenos which tend to be more on the mild side, or just use half jalapenos and half green peppers to still get that peppery taste without the heat.
Storing and reheating
You can store any leftover chicken in the fridge for up to 5 days. I prefer to store the chicken in glass bowls because this way you can just reheat it right in the container.
Reheat the chicken in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit or pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Make sure to sprinkle some water over top before reheating so the chicken doesn't dry out – this is my special trick to get rid of that leftover chicken taste!
Freezing this recipe
Freeze the chicken in a Ziploc freezer bag or in a glass container with a lid for up to 3 months. Let the chicken defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat as normal.
Wanna Learn How To Meal Prep?
My meal planning service, Dinner Prep Pro, removes the guesswork and helps you get dinner on the table in 15-20 minutes each night. My meal prep checklists only take 1 hour each week!
More stuffed chicken recipes
Meal prep tools for this recicpe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into leftovers.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp each paprika & salt
- 1/2 (8oz) block light cream cheese
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 4 jalapenos, finely diced make sure to remove the seeds!
Optional sides
- Salad
- Roasted baby potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice into chicken widthwise making cuts deep enough to fill with cheese mixture (see video for details). Drizzle olive oil overtop and rub with paprika and salt.
- In a large bowl, microwave cream cheese on high for 45 seconds (make sure to cover dish otherwise it will make a mess of your microwave!) Remove from microwave then stir in cheddar cheese and jalapenos.
- Stuff each little slit in the chicken breast with jalapeno-cheese mixture. Bake in oven for 30-32 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Serve and enjoy!
Share With Me!
Did you make this recipe or want to share your thoughts? Make sure to leave your review below and tag me on Instagram #thegirlonbloor so I can check it out!