How To Make The Best Smoked Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breasts In

, VA: This Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breast recipe is responsible for ending one of my “close” friendships. One day I went to the grocery store and accidentally bought more chicken breast than my wife, and I could eat. So I sent a group text out to my buddies on my competition BBQ team and told them to come get some free chicken breast if they want it. One buddy replied and said he would pick it up that day. He even sent me a delicious bacon wrapped jalapeno popper recipe planned to make with the chicken breast.

Day 1: He does not call, text, or show up to get the chicken.

Day 2: I text him, and he says he will pick it up that day but does not show up.

Day 3: Don’t hear from him at all.

On day 4, I reached out to him and told him “the chicken will go bad soon, I have no room to freeze it so let me know if you still want it please”. He replies with one word…… “okay”.  The chicken is about to go bad, he doesn’t seem that interested in it, so at that point, I decide to cook the chicken using the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breast recipe he sent me. I then gave the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breast dish out to my neighbors and didn’t think anything of it. The next day I woke up and my social media account was going NUTS! Apparently, all of my neighbors LOVED the dish. They posted pictures of it on social media, tagged me in all of them, thanked me, and demanded I make it again!

I was flattered but there was a problem. My friend saw the posts and reached out to me. He asked if that was the chicken breast I had for him and if that was the recipe he gave me. I said yes and explained to him why I made the chicken instead of holding onto it longer.

He Went Off On Me!

He went on this whole rant about how I had the chicken reserved for him,  how I should have honored his “RSVP” and how I was taking credit for a recipe he gave me. I didn’t know what to say. Other than not giving him a deadline, I don’t feel like I did anything wrong. However, our friendship has not been the same since and he is no longer on our competition BBQ team. 

Do You Think I Was In The Wrong?

Please let me know your thoughts. In the meantime, here is the recipe that got me TONS of attention but also caused me to lose a friend.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 medium-sized jalapenos 
• 12 pieces bacon 
• 3 Tablespoons Bald Buck: Bold Taste. For a spicier version, use Bald Buck: Slow Burn.
• 1/2 cup Your favortie BBQ sauce. 
• Olive Oil

Jalapeno Popper Filling

• 4 oz of softened cream cheese
• 4 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Tablespoons Bald Buck: Bold Taste. For a spicier version, use Bald Buck: Slow Burn.

Instructions:

• Preheat your smoker to 250˚. Use mild-flavored wood (fruit woods, hickory, etc.) Avoid stronger flavored woods like mesquite. 
• Clean your jalapenos. Slice the tops off the jalapenos and remove all seeds and stems. 
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and 1 Tablespoon of Bald Buck. Using a small spoon, stuff the cleaned jalapenos as much as you can with the cream cheese mixture. 
• On a large cutting board, coat your chicken breast with olive oil and then season them with Bald Buck. Next, slice the chicken breasts open without slicing all of the way through the breasts. Place one filled jalapeno popper inside of each chicken breast and fold them closed.
• Now it’s time to wrap each chicken breast. Each chicken breast will take about three slices of bacon. If you need, secure your bacon by using toothpicks to hold the wrap in place.  
• Put your bacon-wrapped chicken breast on the smoker. Cook until the internal temperature is 150˚(about an hour and a half, give or take). Baste the chicken heavily with your favorite BBQ sauce. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature is 165˚. 
• Remove and allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips:

• Poke a small hole at the end of the peppers before you stuff them. It will let the air escape and make them much easier to stuff. It will also help prevent the jalapeno from splitting when you stuff it. 
• You can serve this dish in a couple of ways. For an appetizer, slice the chicken and serve. This will allow many people to get a taste. For a dinner, serve the bacon-wrapped chicken breast whole. This will feed a few.
• Bald Buck is key here. BBQ Pitmasters use it for their meat, but I learned it makes for one hell of a seasoned salt. Try it in this dish but more importantly, experiment with it as the salt in your other dishes. It adds this unique flavor that is amazing but nobody will be able to put their finger on what that flavor is. There are reviews about it on YouTube but below is the best video about it.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BALD BUCK HERE – FREE

The stories, characters, and incidents featured in this advertising content are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The content is intended for marketing purposes only and does not represent factual information. The views and opinions expressed in this advertorial do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company. The information contained within is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the content provided for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.