Spicy Buffalo Wing Poppers (Print View)

Jalapeños stuffed with chicken, blue cheese, and buffalo sauce. The ultimate spicy game day appetizer.

# Components:

→ Peppers

01 - 8 large jalapeño peppers

→ Filling

02 - 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken breast
03 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
04 - 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
05 - 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce
06 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

10 - 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese for garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - Halve the jalapeños lengthwise and carefully remove seeds and membranes. Wear gloves to protect hands from capsaicin oils.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, blue cheese, cream cheese, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Blend until uniform.
04 - Generously fill each jalapeño half with the chicken mixture using a spoon.
05 - Place filled jalapeño halves in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until peppers are tender and the filling is bubbling.
07 - Remove from oven. Drizzle additional buffalo sauce over poppers and top with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or green onions.
08 - Transfer to a serving plate and serve warm with celery sticks and additional dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside, creamy inside, and pack a punch that keeps people reaching for more without feeling too heavy.
  • You can prep them hours ahead and bake them right before guests arrive, which means you're actually relaxing instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • The blue cheese and buffalo combination just works in a way that feels both familiar and a little bit fancy.
02 -
  • If your jalapeños are huge and thick-walled, roast them skin side up at 425°F for five minutes first so they actually soften through instead of staying crunchy.
  • Don't skip removing the membranes because they contain the fiery capsaicin and can make your poppers uncomfortably hot if you leave them in.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken from the deli counter and use that instead of cooking chicken yourself because it's already flavorful and saves you 20 minutes.
  • Keep the buffalo sauce bottle in the fridge so it doesn't separate, and give it a good shake before drizzling because hot sauce likes to settle.
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