Buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers dipped in ranch dressing! Can you tell I’m just a little bit obsessed with all things buffalo wing sauce right now? Tender jalapeños filled with a creamy buffalo chicken mixture topped with crunchy seasoned panko. That first bite has it all. A little heat, lots of creaminess to cool it down, and loads of crunch! We love making a large batch of these and serving them to friends and family when they come over with a big bowl of ranch dressing on the side. And if you ask my husband, he’s already declared that he wants a big batch of buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers for all of his super bowl get-togethers from now on! The good thing is, I can prep these jalapeño poppers several hours in advance then bake them in the oven or the air fryer in batches. And you can easily double or triple the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd!
What ingredients do you need to make buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers?
Fresh jalapeños: I found giant fresh jalapeños at the grocery store (perks of living in Texas!) I used 10 of those. If you find smaller peppers, you’ll need more for the same amount of filling. Be sure to wear gloves when cleaning the peppers if you’re sensitive to them! Cream cheese: you’ll need softened cream cheese for this recipe. I like to use full-fat cream cheese as it yields the best results. And we are baking them, so there’s already half the guilt! You could also use ⅓ fat cream cheese, but I don’t suggest using non-fat cream cheese. It won’t have that delicious creamy flavor.Shredded cheese: I use a blend of Mexican-style cheeses as the flavors work well together. You could also use just cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese if you prefer.Cooked chicken: You can use a store-bought or homemade shredded rotisserie chicken or poach chicken at home for this recipe. I usually use the rotisserie chicken if I happen to roast some or just poach a small chicken breast with a few fresh herbs and garlic in chicken broth.Buffalo sauce: I use this hot sauce for this recipe, but honestly, any buffalo wing sauce will work here.Lemon juice: a small splash of lemon juice gives these jalapeño poppers a little brightness.Panko breadcrumbs: I like to use panko for this recipe as it’s flakey and gives the poppers a nice crunch. Seasonings: simple seasonings like garlic powder, dried parsley, and smoked paprika will bring flavor to seasoned breadcrumbs we’ll sprinkle on top.Melted butter: will help bind the breadcrumbs and seasonings and allow the panko to get crunchy in the oven when the poppers bake.
How to make buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers at home:
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Use 12-14 jalapeños if yours are on the smaller side. I had huge jalapeños and needed only 10 of them.AIR FRYER - if you’d like to make these in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer on 325ºF and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown on top.
