Smoked Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers are one of my favorite appetizers to serve up for the big game!

They have the spicy flavor of buffalo chicken wings with the addition of smoky bacon all held together by a cream cheese mixture.

Jalapeno poppers will never get old to me. There are so many great flavor combinations that you can make and mostly everybody loves them! They’re pretty easy to make and the great thing is, you can prep/assemble them ahead of time then cook them right before it’s time to eat! Be sure to give this recipe a try the next time you’re looking to enjoy some delicious appetizers!

Ingredients you will need

Meat: Chicken breasts, chicken thighs or a rotisserie chicken and bacon 

Cheese: Cream cheese, cheddar cheese

Poppers: Jalapeno peppers

Hot Sauce: Buffalo wing sauce

Seasoning: Ranch dressing packet and BBQ rub

Dressing: Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing 

Garnish: Blue cheese crumbles and green onions

You can really add any of your favorite shredded cheese such as mozzarella cheese or monterey jack cheese.

How to make Smoked Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers

Preheat the grill and get it ready for direct cooking. I used my Nomad Grill for this cook which is a versatile grill and smoker option which is why I love using it!

Season the boneless skinless chicken thighs on both sides with your favorite BBQ rub or a SPG blend (salt, black pepper, garlic powder).

Grill the chicken directly over hot charcoal until they reach an internal temperature of 165° F. At the same time, cook 6 strips of bacon over medium heat in a skillet until crispy. 

chicken on the griddle
Photos from this recipe are from Brittany Scott (Instagram: @the_salted_bite)

If you want to save on time, you can use leftover pulled chicken or grab a precooked rotisserie chicken and use the shredded chicken instead.

Cut up the grilled chicken and crispy bacon into small bite size pieces.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl to make a buffalo chicken filling: chopped chicken, 1 block cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 6 strips of chopped crispy bacon, 3 tbsp green onion, 2 oz blue cheese, 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce, 3 tbsp ranch dressing. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients until combined. 

buffalo chicken jalapeno popper ingredients

Cut each jalapeno in half, then scrape the seeds out of the middle. I recommend to wear gloves for this part of the process to prevent the jalapenos from irritating the skin on your hands.

cut up jalapenos

Stuff the buffalo chicken mixture into all of the jalapeño halves.

stuffed jalapeño poppers

Place the stuffed poppers on a wire rack then smoke them at 250° F for 25-30 minutes using cherry wood. If you do not have a smoker, you can place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook them in the oven. 

jalapeno poppers on the smoker

Pull the buffalo chicken poppers off of the smoker. Serve them on a plate, then drizzle buffalo sauce and homemade ranch over the top. Garnish them with blue cheese crumbles and thinly sliced green onions.

Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

If you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. 

Looking for other Jalapeño Popper flavors?

Bacon Cheeseburger Jalapeno Poppers: Jalapeños stuffed with grilled burger, thick cut bacon and cheesy goodness smoked to perfection. These are packed with a ton of flavor!

Hot Honey Chicken Jalapeno Poppers: Sweet and spicy chicken stuffed into a cream cheese mixture. Get these on the smoker for the perfect delicious bite. 

BBQ Chicken Jalapeno Poppers: A grilled chicken cream cheese mixture smoked to perfection. Glazed with a sweet BBQ sauce then topped with homemade ranch

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Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

Smoked Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

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Smoked buffalo jalapeno poppers are packed with grilled chicken and spicy buffalo sauce smoked to perfection.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 24 poppers 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 whole jalapenos
  • 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ pound of bacon
  • 1 block of cream cheese
  • 3 tbsp green onions
  • 2 ounces of blue cheese crumbles
  • ¼ cup Buffalo sauce
  • 3 tbsp of Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing
  • 1 tbsp of BBQ rub

Instructions

Notes

  • Blue cheese or ranch dressing are great options. 
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save on cook time. 
  • Author: Nick Nesgoda
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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