Easy Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Chicken Bites with Jalapenos
This simple recipe involves small pieces of raw chicken breast spread with cream cheese and jalapenos, rolled and wrapped with bacon, then grilled outside or in an air fryer.
1(14g)jalapeno pepper, fresh - seeded and finely chopped
8slices(176g)thin-cut bacon - cut in half
Instructions
Slice a chicken breast in half horizontally. Then cut each half into strips approximately 2 x 4 inches. (No need to measure, eyeball them.)
Place the chicken pieces in one layer inside a zippered plastic bag. Pound with a mallet or the side of your hand to make the chicken ¼ to ⅓-inch thick. Lay out several chicken pieces on a cutting board.
Dab a scant teaspoon (more or less) of cream cheese on top of each piece of chicken. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon of jalapeno peppers over the cream cheese. Fold the chicken to enclose the cream cheese mixture.
Wrap each chicken roll with one piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick.
Place into a preheated air fryer or a barbecue grill.
Bake or grill at 400˚F (200˚C) until the bacon is brown and crispy on both sides. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Turn the chicken halfway through. Note: Because air fryers come in many shapes and forms, you may need to experiment with the time and temperature.
Notes
Be sure to wear plastic gloves when handling fresh jalapenos. The oil will attach itself to your hands and is not easily washed away. An accidental swipe of the hand close to your eyes could be a regrettable experience.Try flattening meat inside a zip-lock bag, as pictured above. No flying pieces, no contamination on your cutting board from the chicken, and the cleanup is super easy.