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.
Super Creamy Texture
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.
Jalapeno Popper Cicken Casserole Recipe Tip
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.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
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 butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 6 ounces 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
Nutrition
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Originally published October 14, 2016.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I appreciate the opportunity to share products I love and use in my own kitchen.
I LOVED this recipe 1000%. It actually gave me the push to start new dishes. What turned to 1 new recipe a month has turned into once a week. I’ve added so many new spices to my cabinet. Tried many since then but always come back to this one. Thank you for this delicious dish,one of my all time faves.
Delicious creamy menu.
I’ve made this several times now and it is delicious! We love spicy food so I added a bit of cayenne and some paprika on top. I’ve given this recipe to several people who asked for it! I made it without chicken one time for a pot luck side dish!
Best recipe it has become a family favourite thank you
This was absolutely wonderful. My husband and I both loved it. I’m mildly lactose intolerant, so next time going to try with a whole can of chicken broth and just a dash of milk to make up the 2 cups. Also going to use all sharp cheddar and no Monterey jack. My jalapenos were gigantic! I should have only used 2. Recipe is fantastic as written, just going to change it a little to suit our needs. Thank you, I’ll be making this alot in the future!
We thought this was delicious! I made it according to the recipe except for sauteeing the chopped jalapenos with the onions instead of adding them to the mixture raw. Definitely one I’ll be making again!
Looks great I will be trying this weekend thank you again.
Really easy to make and everyone loved it! It’s not too spicy for most people but it does have a little spicy kick . I used rotisserie chicken and elbow pasta (it’s what I already had) and it turned out wonderfully.
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.