Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

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My family loves jalapeño poppers. I knew they were going to love this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe. If you use precooked chicken, you can easily get this dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (1)

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe:

Jalapeño Popper Chicken casserole is seriously the best therefore, everyone loves it! The creamy sauce has just the right amount of heat but it’s still mild enough for the entire family.

Although jalapeño peppers are throughout the Jalapeño Popper Chicken casserole, the kids still ask for seconds!

From the shredded chicken, jalapeños, cream cheese and bacon this recipe is so easy to make. Dinner can be done in about 30 minutes which is one of the reasons why I love this easy recipe.

We love making casseroles! Casseroles make my life so much easy as they are full of flavor and all the ingredients go into one pan!

You may also love King Ranch Chicken Casserole.

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (2)

Let’s get started with this quick and easy casserole!

Make sure you have a nice9×13 casserole dish. Or if you want to make clean up a breeze, try using one of thesefoil pans.

They are great because you just throw them away when you are done. We use them often. They help out on those crazy busy nights and are perfect for bringing over for a party!

You can prepare the chicken ahead of time, and then add to this casserole when you are ready to eat. If you want to prepare this casserole the night before, you will save you even more time!

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (3)

Ingredients for Jalapeño Chicken Casserole:

  • cooked chicken, diced
  • cream cheese
  • bowtie pasta
  • Monterrey jack cheese
  • cheddar cheese
  • chicken broth
  • milk
  • fresh jalapeños – We like to use fresh jalapenos in this recipe.
  • bread crumbs
  • bacon
Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (4)

How to make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole:

  • First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Next, boil the pasta until al dente, to make sure it isn’t mushy.
  • Then in a pan, melt the cream cheese and chicken broth and milk.
  • After these ingredients are melted and combined, add in the Monterey jack cheese and stir to melt.
  • After that add in the pasta and the diced jalapeños to the cream cheese mixture. Save a few of the diced jalapeños for the top of the casserole!
  • Then add chicken and pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Finally, top the casserole with the bread crumbs.
  • Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. After this cook time, take the cover off.
  • Then top the casserole with the cheddar cheese, remaining jalapeños and diced up bacon.
  • Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve this chicken dish with a side salad for an easy dinner idea.
Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (5)

Jalapeno Chicken Casserole:

This Jalapeño Chicken Casserole is so yummy! It has that perfect blend of cheese and spice.

This Jalapeno casserole is a bit spicy, but not too much that you can’t handle it. Our kids devoured it and they all came back for seconds.

You could even freeze it or make it the night before so you just have to toss it in the oven. The options are endless!

Either way, I think you will agree that this dinner is delicious.

How to freeze:

The Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole freezes great! When I make I like to make a few casseroles that I can freeze for an upcoming busy night.

You can also refrigerate up to 3-4 days in an air tight container or freeze up to a month.

Also you an easily freeze individual size portions of this recipe so that they can easily be heated up for lunch.

It makes it so easy to reheat when the food is already in an individual container. We grab one and out the door we go!

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (6)

Easy Chicken Jalapeno Popper Casserole Variations:

Use a Rotisserie chicken – Using precooked chicken breasts makes this recipe so easy to prepare. I have used rotisserie chicken to make this dinner evene asier.

Use Chicken Thighs – Cooked chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts is also a great substitution.

Mix in Garlic Powder – This is one of those delicious recipes that you can easily swap out some of the ingredients. We do this a lot for what we already have or can get on sale. Garlic powder is great in this recipe.

Make it keto friendly – If you are following the keto diet, you can remove the pasta. The recipe will still be so delicious!

Substitute Jalapenos – Everyone loves the jalapeño flavor so this casserole dish is a hit. If you do not like jalapeno peppers, you can substitute with a can of green chilies for a different flavor.

Change the Cheese – Feel free to use whatever cheese you have. I have tried a variety of cheese and they all tasted amazing.

Add in Sour cream – Sour cream is a great addition.

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (7)

Print this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe:

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (8)

Review

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Jalapeño Popper Chicken Caseerole

4.88 from 58 votes

You are going to love this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole. It is delicious and can me ready in no time!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 8

Cuisine American

Course Main Course

Calories 644

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken (diced into 1 inch pieces)
  • 8 oz cream cheese (diced into small pieces)
  • 16 oz bowtie pasta
  • 2 cups monterrey jack cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 1 jalapeño (deseeded and diced)
  • 1/3 cup bread crumbs
  • 6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  • Cook the pasta to al dente based on the package instructions.

  • In a a large sauce pan, heat the cream cheese, chicken broth and milk. Stir and heat until the cream cheese is fully melted.

  • Add in the Monterey Jack cheese and stir to melt.

  • Then stir in the pasta and the diced jalapeños (save a few of the diced jalapeños for the top).

  • Mix in the cooked diced chicken and pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Top the casserole with bread crumbs. Cover the casserole dish with foil.

  • Bake covered for 20 minutes.

  • Uncover the casserole and top with the shredded cheddar cheese, remaining diced jalapeños and crumbled bacon.

  • Cover uncovered for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese. Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can sauté the bread crumbs with 1 Tbsp of butter in a small sauce pan to brown the bread crumb slightly before topping the casserole with them.

Nutrition Facts

Serving 8ounces, Calories 644kcal, Carbohydrates 50g, Protein 35g, Fat 33g, Saturated Fat 17g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 116mg, Sodium 629mg, Potassium 422mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 5g, Vitamin A 847IU, Vitamin C 4mg, Calcium 420mg, Iron 2mg

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Check out these jalapeño popper recipes:

  • Jalapeno Poppers Stuffed Pork Chops Recipe
  • Delicious Jalapeno Poppers Corn Casserole Recipe
  • Easy Crock Pot Jalapeno Poppers Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Gluten Free Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe
  • Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Chicken Breasts recipe
  • Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers recipe

Try these other easy casserole ideas:

  • Crock Pot Creamy Roasted Red Peppers Chicken Casserole
  • Easy Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
  • Chicken Green Bean Casserole
  • Crockpot Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe
  • Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
  • Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole
  • Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing Recipe
  • Crockpot Low Carb Pizza Casserole Recipe
  • Easy Low Carb Taco Casserole Recipe
  • Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Recipe
  • Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole Recipe
Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (9)

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About the Author

Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (18)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
Easy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long to soak jalapenos in ice water? ›

Soak peppers in a bowl of water for 30-60 minutes. This helps reduce some of the oil from the peppers which is what gives them their heat. Tip: Use latex gloves when handling raw jalapenos, especially the seeds.

How do you boil jalapenos to remove heat? ›

We tried boiling the chiles in water and in milk, cooking them in oil, and roasting them. To our surprise, boiling the peppers in water or milk or cooking them in oil for 5 minutes did remove a significant amount of their burn, when compared with a raw piece of the same pepper.

What does soaking jalapeños in water do? ›

Capsaicin, which is mostly on the inside of the pepper, is hard to wash off your hands and can burn and irritate your eyes, mouth, and nose if you touch them after touching a jalapeño. If you soak cut-up jalapeños in salt water for at least half an hour before you eat or cook them, it lowers some of the spiciness.

Why do you soak jalapeños in water? ›

The addition of water, vinegar, and sugar will help cut the heat of the jalapeños and give them more of a tangy, salty and sweet flavor. They'll become a bit milder as they soak in the refrigerator.

Does soaking jalapeños in water make them less hot? ›

Putting a fresh, cut open uncooked chile pepper under running water will rinse off some of its heat. The water in this method will take away a significant amount of the pepper's flavor along with its heat.

Do jalapeños get hotter when boiled? ›

Jalapenos do not lose their spiciness after being cooked by some methods, and they do by cooking them with other methods. If you roast or smoke peppers, then they will tend to get spicier. If you boil peppers, or cook them inside of a very wet mixture, they will lose some of their spicy nature.

What neutralizes jalapeño heat? ›

Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the molecule's activity. This means drinking or eating something acidic — such as lemonade, limeade, orange juice or a tomato-based food item or drink — may also help cool your mouth down. (Milk is also acidic, by the way.)

Can you soak jalapeños in ice water? ›

If you want a less spicy jalapeño, soak them in ice cold water for 30 minutes.

Does ice help jalapeño burn? ›

Put your hands in a bowl of milk.

Try adding ice cubes to the bowl. Plunging your hands in a bowl of ice water can work instead, but it's not as effective. Some people report that the burning sensation from chili peppers is painful and can last for a couple hours, so it's understandable if you want an immediate remedy.

Does freezing jalapeños make them milder? ›

Frozen jalapeños will last for up to 6 months. Use them within 3 months for best results. They will lose some of their texture but will still be pretty much just as spicy as fresh jalapeños.

Can you soak peppers in water? ›

Chili peppers have roughly 0.1 mg/g of pepper or 3 g/oz. So, if you soak an ounce of red pepper in about 100 mL of water, you should be able to extract most of the capsaicin, though you would want to mince the entire pepper, including the seeds, where most of the capsaicin is, to improve the extraction efficiency.

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