These Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers are easy stuffed jalapeños loaded with creamy buffalo chicken and melted cheese, making them the ultimate game day snack. I plan to add them to my list of Buffalo Chicken Recipes and Super Bowl Foods, for sure! And, you can bake them in the oven or make them in an air fryer. And while you’re at it, don’t miss my Cowboy Jalapeño Poppers!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cream Cheese: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before making the filling.
How To Soften Cream Cheese Quickly
If you forgot to take out the cream cheese for this recipe, here are a couple of options to get it to room temperature quickly:
Warm Water Method: Place the wrapped block of cream cheese in a bowl of warm water for about 10-15 minutes. Flip it over every few minutes or so.
Microwave Method: Remove the cream cheese from its packaging and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave it on low power in 15-20-second intervals until it reaches the desired softness. Be careful not to overheat it, as cream cheese can quickly become too runny or even melt.
- Buffalo Sauce: For the most flavor, check out my homemade buffalo sauce. I use it in the buffalo chicken filling, and then drizzle more on top for serving.
- Milk: The whole milk is optional when it comes to the filling. If you prefer a slightly creamier, looser filling, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Rotisserie Chicken: I love using rotisserie chicken in recipes; it is usually already cooked and ready to go! In fact, I have a growing list of rotisserie chicken recipes (more than 65 so far!) you will want to check out! Leftover cooked chicken, like shredded chicken, would also work.
- Cheese: For this recipe, I used mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese for a melty, flavorful filling, but you can use other cheeses you like. Try Monterey Jack, Colby, or even pepper jack for a little extra spice!
- Jalapeño Peppers: Look for large jalapeños that are firm and bright green. Bigger peppers are easier to stuff and hold more filling, and you can remove the seeds more easily. Removing the seeds and membranes is your call, but it keeps the jalapeño poppers a little less spicy!
- Ranch Dressing: Some people love dipping buffalo chicken (like my buffalo chicken tenders) in ranch dressing, while others swear by blue cheese! You can use my creamy homemade ranch, or if you’re team blue cheese, go with that instead. Either way, it’s delicious!
Why You’ll Love Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers
These stuffed jalapeños are a perfect mix of spicy, cheesy, and savory in every bite. They make easy buffalo appetizers and game day snacks that are sure to disappear fast. Whether baked or air-fried, they’re simple to make and a guaranteed hit at parties! And, if you love jalapeño poppers, I also have bacon jalapeño poppers and sausage jalapeño poppers to keep the party going!
How to Cut and Seed Jalapeños for Baked Jalapeño Poppers
- Wash the jalapeños and pat them dry.
- Slice each pepper in half lengthwise.
- Carefully scoop out the seeds and membranes with a small spoon or knife. Tip: Wearing gloves helps if you’re sensitive to spice.
How To Control The Spice Level In Jalapeño Poppers
The seeds and membranes hold most of the heat in your stuffed jalapeños. Remove all seeds for mild baked jalapeño poppers (which is what I did), leave a few for medium spice, or keep them all in for a fiery kick. This simple tip lets you customize your buffalo appetizers and game day snacks exactly how you like them! You can make a few of your baked jalapeño poppers on the spicier side and some milder ones for those who prefer less heat. Just be sure to label them so no one grabs the ‘wrong’ one 😀!
Make Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Popper Ahead Of Time
You can prepare your stuffed jalapeños in advance and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to bake or air fry. Assemble the jalapeños with the buffalo chicken and cheese filling, place them on a lined baking sheet or in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready, bake or air fry as directed for fresh, melty baked jalapeño poppers that taste like they were made just for game day!
How to Store Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers
After baking, let your stuffed jalapeños cool to room temperature. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to eat, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5–10 minutes, or in the air fryer for a few minutes, until warmed through.
Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (91 g) buffalo sauce
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, optional, for a looser filling
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 ½ cups (169.5 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (113 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 10 large jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
- Buffalo sauce, for garnish, plus extra for dipping (optional)
- Ranch dressing, for garnish, plus extra for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F* (220°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and whole milk (if using). Using a hand mixer, mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the shredded chicken, sharp cheddar, and mozzarella cheese to the bowl. Stir until all the chicken is coated in the creamy cheese mixture and everything is evenly combined. This makes about 3 cups of the filling.
- Spoon the buffalo chicken filling into each jalapeño half, mounding the mixture slightly but leaving a little space for the filling to expand as it melts.
- Arrange the filled jalapeños on the prepared baking sheet, cut side up.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the filling is hot, the cheese is melted, and the tops are lightly golden.
- Let the poppers cool for about 5 minutes before serving. (The filling will be very hot inside.)
- Garnish with drizzles of buffalo sauce and ranch dressing, or serve extra on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Prepare the buffalo chicken jalapeño poppers as instructed.
- Place the stuffed peppers into the basket of your air fryer. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.)
- Air fry at 375°F for 6-8 minutes, or until the filling is hot, the cheese is melted, and the tops are lightly golden.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
I love these jalapeño poppers! They definitely have a kick to them, and I love them dipped in ranch with even more buffalo sauce!
Elizabeth
These are great, and if you love buffalo chicken, you will love these! I like how meaty the filling was. Yes, they were a bit spicy, but that is the point!
Stephanie
The flavors were great, but these were a little hotter than I expected.
Bella
I love spicy foods, so these were wonderful to me! I even added more buffalo sauce to mine.
