Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs Recipe
Last year I did a series on Football Food, and this week I added a few more recipes. These are simple and quick recipes that are perfect for having folks over to the house to watch the game – or at a tailgate. This one is for Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Chicken Thighs and it’s a big hit at my house.
For this recipe I’m using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can find these at your local grocery store fresh or frozen, and you can even debone them yourself if you want.
When it comes to chicken most people choose the more expensive breast. I’m not sure why thighs get a bad rap, but they have more flavor and stay juicier when cooked. That’s why we use them in competition cooking.
Here’s what you’ll need for these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs:
– 8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
– 4 Jalapeno Peppers
– 8oz Cream Cheese
– 8 Strips of Bacon
– 1 Stick of Real Butter
Seasoning:
– Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub. (or your favorite BBQ Rub)
– Killer Hogs AP Rub
Let’s get started making these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs:
Remove the thighs from the packaging and place on a cutting board designated for poultry. If there is any excess fat on the thighs go ahead and trim it off. Season each side with a good dose of my AP Seasoning.
Split the Jalapeño Peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins. Fill each half with cream cheese and sprinkle a touch of Dry Rub on top.
Place the stuffed pepper cheese side down in the center of each chicken thigh and form the meat around the pepper. Next wrap each thigh with a strip of bacon.
To keep the thighs in a natural shape while cooking I use one of my Competition Chicken Pans. Spray the pan with cooking spray and place each thigh upright in the pan. Season the thighs with a little Killer Hogs Dry Rub and place a Tablespoon of Butter on each one.
For this cook I’m using my Big Green Egg running at 300 degrees. Throw on a couple chunks of pecan for some smoke and place the chicken pan on the center of the grate.
After 45 minutes the bacon should start to brown and the chicken will have absorbed enough smoke flavor. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue to cook until the internal temperature hits 165 degrees.
Check the internal temps with a Thermapen. To make your life a lot easier – every BBQ’er and griller needs a Thermapen – an instant-read thermometer. And using a DOT (probe thermometer) will allow you to monitor the chicken thighs while you cook and even set to alarm when it hits the right internal temp.
At this point remove the pan from the smoker. Be sure to where insulated gloves because it will be hot. Carefully take each Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs out of the chicken pan and re-season each side with BBQ Rub. Place the thighs on a chicken rack and back out on the smoker for 5-10 minutes. This gives the rub time to dry.
For the finishing glaze I use a bottle of Killer Hogs The Bbq Sauce. Heat it in a small pan or in the microwave for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once the rub has set, dunk each Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs in the warm sauce and place it back on the rack to drain.
The rack goes back on the Egg for a final 5-10 minutes. Just long enough for the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs to “tack up”. If you see it getting dark remove the thighs immediately.
Let the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs rest for just a few minutes and they’re ready to serve. You may have to make several batches at your next football party because these are always a big hit!
Malcom Reed
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if you smoke meat on a rack in a drip pan will the meat get all that good smoke thanks you are best great recipes. i am new at smoking
Once you cover the chicken after 45 minutes, approximately how long does it take to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees?
usually 20 – 30 minutes.
Malcom, I tried your Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Thighs recipe and they turned out great even though my wife refuses to eat dark meat. I cooked 6 thighs but I substituted a small chicken breast and she thought it was outstanding!
Keep up the great work and thanks again for all your insight and assistance.
Mark
I struggled with getting my smoker up to 300 degrees. I used a ton of charcoal, and it still didn’t get hot enough. What could I have been doing wrong? I left the vents open in the fire box, and also left the vent open full on the smoke stack.
Hard to say without knowing the kind of cooker – but sounds like it’s not getting enough air and doesn’t have enough fuel.
This is a great recipe! I have also used boneless chicken breast when things weren’t available it still turned out amazing! I have one complaint though. You didn’t warn me that I would have to make these for my family once month after they tried it for the first time! Lol thanks again for these amazing recipes that are easy to follow.
I made this chicken recipe. It is AWESOMELY DELICIOUS!!!! Please keep doing what you are doing. I had to pound out the thighs so they would wrap around the jalapenos easily. Everything else was the same as directed. I cooked them on my Weber kettle grill with the Smoke E-Z accessory. Thank you for a great tasting recipe.
Great recipes. I signed up for your news letter, but I only get an email maybe every other month.
Yeah, we only send one out every other week – sometimes once a month. We post the same recipes on the website – and the app – and share it all on FB, Twitter and Instagram.
Just finished cooking this fabulous recipe, spot on! Cooked the chicken on my Pit Barrel cooker, using an IQ110. What a great tasting chicken! As always the instructions were perfect, and easy to understand. Thanks Malcolm!
I left my smoker on 275 and they turned out great….just take a little longer …added a datil chili to a few for the pepperheads and they loved them.
This chicken was spot on man! Both my wife and I thought it was outstanding. Thanks for the recipe!
Looks great! What is the name of the Chicken pan you are using?
Thanks!
If you can find an 8-cavity brownie pan – those work just as well. You can also find something similar at WalMart or Kroger in the baking section.
Smashed this last night after my chicken pan arrived in the post. Wifes alraedy got me booked in to cook again on Friday night.
Great recipe Malcolm.
Made these tonight but wrapped the thighs with prosciutto instead of bacon. They were a big hit.
Thanks
that’s a good idea
Malcom, thank you so very much for all your recipes. you have given me the confidence to expand my BBQ capabilities with your wonderful videos. I will be doing 2 of them this weekend. Thanks again man….
Awesome, just fantastic. Thanks Malcolm
Hi Malcolm,
I just wanted to say that I’ve been following your videos in the UK for a while now.
All of my friends only know how to grill (flipping cheap burgers over too much flame and getting flare-ups and most likely upset stomachs!) but I’ve been following some of your fantastic recipes and I’m starting to convince them how to literally “BBQ right”
Your stuffed chicken thighs are a staple family favourite , along with the pork burnt-ends, and we really enjoy how you present your show.
The only downside is that we don’t seem to be able to get the larger cuts of meat that you present, (but I guess that’s typical of the UK) so I have to adjust the cooking times accordingly, but nonetheless, everybody enjoys your food so please keep up the fantastic work!
David
Hey Malcolm,
This recipe is great and is always a big hit! We are going to make it on Father’s Day when we go camping on the Oregon Dunes and I was wondering if you think it would be safe to prep everything in a disposable pan and keep it in the fridge until it is time to cook?
Huge Fan! Thank You!
yeah – don’t see any problems with that. Just know chicken isn’t going to stay fresh for too long in the fridge
Made these tonight. OMG. My family loves me more now. One of the best recipes ever.
Made your bacon wrapped jalapeno chicken thighs last night!!! They were great!!!
Thanks Danny
Pasadena, Tx
Malcom, These thighs were such a big hit! I’ve made them twice already in 2 weeks. My neighbor liked them so much he said, “Dude, you could sell these!” I didn’t have everything to follow the recipe exactly but I used your AP Rub, a little Special Shit, a tiny bit of Aw Shit (yes, that’s their real name) on the jalepeno popper and used pecan wood for the smoke. I kept the smoker between 275 and 300 the entire cook. I used a Weber Bullet (Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker). Followed the cooking instructions as written. My wifes’ first choice is not the thigh nor does she do too much spice but she loved these! They went way too fast.
Thank You,
~ Mike
P.S. Tackling the smoked brisket pastrami next.
Hi Malcom, love your website and recipes! One question I always have is regards to temperature. When you say “Big Green Egg running at 300 degrees” I’m assuming that’s the dome temp and not grate level? Thank you
Hi Malcom, you can disregard my previous question. I watched the video and see it’s dome temp. Thanks again, excited to try this recipe out this weekend.
Made this dish for dinner last night, along with Parmesan garlic smoked potatoes and Mexican street corn (both sides also from your recipes). Entire meal was a HUGE hit! I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and they turned out incredibly moist and tender. Found a mini loaf pan at Hobby Lobby, which is a great idea for holding everything together. I also love the dunking technique vs. brushing. Used a Weber kettle with Slow ‘n Sear, removing the water chamber to reach 300 degrees.
So good! Wife thought I was crazy buying the pan until she tried this recipe. Now she is lining us up to make football food with friends. Thanks Malcom!
Cooked these tonight for dinner, what a great recipe. But I had a my 3 year old grand daughter with us and I worried about the jalapeno in the recipe, I wanted to enjoy the food(you know how three year olds can be). So for two of the thighs I substituted a apple wedge for the jalapeno. Everything else just as the recipe called for, what a great taste. Thanks for your talents Malcom.
Hi Malcolm….have tried your boneless thighs in the smoker, but today I want to try
them in my oven. What temperature and how long should I bake them. Love your
videos.
Should be the same temp as smoking… 300.
I made these for the Super Bowl on my pellet. Wonderful recipe and best of all, the thighs were on sale. This was a last minute replacement for wings, and I have to say… I think they were far more popular than the wings would have been.
Great recipe.
Thanks for all the great bbq.
Richard and Alice, WE think you for your Bacon wrapped jalapeno chicken thighs. They were very good. we have tried some of your recipes so far they have been very good. thank you