Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Chicken Bombs
Food and Drink

Reprinted with permission from “Big Green Egg Basics” by Ray Sheehan, ©2022 Page Street Publishing Co. Photo credit: Ken Goodman

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Chicken Bombs

"Sixteen slices of bacon. Already, it’s great. Then you bite through that shell to succulent chicken and, bang, you hit that cream-cheese, jalapeno explosion in the middle. Life is good."

Makes: 8

 

4 thick chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

4 jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

16 slices bacon

Sweet and Smoky BBQ Rub

1 cup Kansas City BBQ Sauce, warmed

Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. Place each half between two pieces of waxed paper and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to ¼-inch thickness.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and Cheddar cheese. Fill each jalapeño half with 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture.

Place one stuffed jalapeño half, cheese side down, on the short end of a chicken breast and roll it up. Wrap each chicken bundle with 2 slices of bacon, and secure them with toothpicks, if needed. Season the bundles all over with an even layer of the rub. Refrigerate the bundles until you are ready to cook.

Set up the EGG for 350°F target temperature, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 30% open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.

Once the cooker is up to temperature, place the chicken bombs on the cooking grate and close the lid. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 30 minutes, brushing the chicken with the BBQ sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking to set the glaze. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.