Jalapeno fans will love this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole. It’s super creamy and in addition to bacon and chicken it also has pasta and plenty of cheese, both Cheddar and Monterey Jack.
So it’s really like a kicked-up mac and cheese. For grown-ups.
Or Jalapeno loving kids.
I know there are a few of those out there. I think spicy, cheesy food is the best. But you really can tone back the jalapeno and you’re left with a super creamy chicken casserole.
The creaminess comes from Challenge Cream Cheese. It’s a super high-quality cream cheese and I love to use it in everything from cheesecakes to dips. Made with real milk, cream, and natural ingredients, Challenge Cream Cheese is totally smooth and silky in texture and it really gives whatever you use it in a superior taste. It’s all about quality ingredients.
I use rotisserie chicken for convenience and penne for the pasta, but you can really use any pasta shape.
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole is perfect comfort food for fall weather.
Watch the short video below to see how to make Jalapeno Popper Casserole.
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon Challenge butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 6 ounces Challenge cream cheese, softened, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 jalapenos, 2 diced and 1 sliced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 8 ounces penne pasta, cooked
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large nonstick pan. Crumble bacon and set aside.
- Add onion to bacon grease and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add butter to pan. When melted, sprinkle flour into pan. Stir and cook 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk.
- Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in half of Monterey Jack cheese and half of cheddar cheese until smooth.
- Stir in diced jalapeno, chicken, pasta, and half of bacon.
- Pour into a greased casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining bacon, cheese and the sliced jalapeno.
- Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes.
Notes
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I appreciate the opportunity to share products I love and use in my own kitchen.
Even my husband who doesn’t love chicken got 2nds. My young boys ate it too. I used more jalapeño and less cream cheese cause that’s all i had but so yummy!
I was super excited to try this, but it ended up being a good base recipe for my family. Not even the tiniest bit spicy. Next time I will add a couple of Serrano chiles to the jalepenos and maybe some zesty ranch seasoning to the cheese mix. And use pepper or habanero jack instead of Monterey Jack.