Smoked Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken Bombs
Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken Bombs have succulent chicken thighs stuffed with jalapeno and cheese filling, wrapped in bacon, and smoked to BBQ perfection. Finished with barbecue sauce, this sweet and spicy recipe for jalapeno chicken bombs is easier with no need to handle raw jalapenos. Smoke in the Big Green Egg or electric smoker for perfect, creamy cheesy filled bacon wrapped chicken bombs.
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Why you will love this recipe
You will love this recipe because it is easy to make and the flavors are freaking unbelievably good. It is really as simple as that. Other recipes for chicken bombs involve making actual jalapeno poppers which, let’s be real, is a total pain to do.
This recipe uses herbs and seasonings for FLAVOR (other recipes don’t). Then also, and this is big, with this recipe, we don’t have to prep jalapenos – no split, deseed, and devein, etc. We just make a yummy filling, stuff our chicken, wrap in bacon, and smoke.
About the ingredients
Cream cheese. You can use regular or reduced fat, Neufchatel cream cheese.
Diced pickled jalapeno. I buy this stuff in large jars and throw a tablespoon here or there in everything.
Seasonings: kosher salt, dried minced onion, smoked paprika.
Herbs: dried chives and flat-leaf parsley.
Cheese!
Chicken. I use boneless, skinless thighs because the meat is so much more flavorful, but breast can be substituted.
Bacon.
How to make chicken bombs
First, we make our chicken flat. I like to layer each thigh between two sheets of plastic wrap, then pound. This way no juices splatter in my kitchen.
In a bowl, we mix the ingredients for the filling. Popper ingredients like jalapeno, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese, but also seasonings and herbs for so much flavor!
Spread or mound, as you like, on the pounded chicken thigh, then wrap the meat around the filling. Wrap the chicken bomb with bacon, then season the bomb with barbecue seasoning.
Chicken bombs can be baked in an oven, but better still is to smoke ’em. Set up the big green egg or kamado cooker to smoke over direct heat with the grill RAISED into the dome. This is to use direct heat to cook the bacon, but bring the chicken bombs up and away so they don’t burn.
After 30 minutes of smoking, we glaze the chicken bombs with barbecue sauce. Once cooked to temperature, serve!
FAQs
Pecan or apple. Hands down. Both the chicken and the jalapeno popper filling are a wonderful mix of mild flavors, so more assertive wood like hickory or mesquite would be a mistake.
Yes, and I did precisely this for the chicken in these photos. Just place prepped bombs on a bake sheet or plate and wrap in plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Yes. Cook to 165F internal temperature regardless of the cut of chicken used.
Looking for the perfect salad to go with this recipe? My Coleslaw Pasta Salad is such a great complement. And if these chicken bombs look good, also check out my Bacon Wrapped Smoked Fatty.
For the ultimate in Big Green Egg cooking, see my Smoked Over-The-Top Chili recipe.
Smoked Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken Bombs
Ingredients
For the filling
- 8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup diced pickled jalapeno
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp dried chives
- 1 Tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
- 4 oz finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the bombs
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 lb bacon 4 strips for each piece of chicken
- ¼ cup barbecue seasoning
- ½ cup barbecue sauce of choice
Instructions
- Set Big Green Egg or kamado cooker up to cook over direct heat with the grill grate raised into the dome. Heat to 350°F.
- In a bowl, use a fork to combine the ingredients for the filling.
- Lay each chicken thigh between 2 sheets plastic wrap and beat with a meat tenderizer to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Place and/or spread 1/4 of the filling on each piece of chicken. Wrap chicken around the filling.
- Wrap chicken in bacon, using 3-5 slices per piece of chicken. Be sure to include the ends to keep the cream cheese filling in the bomb while cooking. Secure with toothpicks.
- Season the chicken bombs with barbecue seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Add 2 ~medium-sized chunks pecan or apple wood, with the bark knocked off, to the Egg or kamado. Place the chicken on the grate. Cook 15 minutes and flip. Cook an additional 15 minutes.
- Brush with bombs with barbecue sauce and flip. Brush again. Brush with more sauce and flip as necessary to glaze the bombs until internal temperature (in the filling) reaches 165°F.
- Remove bombs from the heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Serve.
