Jalapeño Popper Chicken Tacos

These are some of the most delicious tacos you’ll ever make!

If you’re anything like me, then you’re a sucker for anything jalapeño popper. And if you’re also like me, you’ll know that anything can be improved by whacking it in a tortilla wrap. You see where I’m going with this Follow me…

Chicken Jalapeño Popper Taco Filling

The filling is ridiculously easy. It’s also devilishly delicious. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken – cooked/rotisserie chicken diced into small cubes.
• Bacon – cooked using your preferred method to your desired texture then diced.
• Jalapeños – I like to use pickled/jarred jalapeños. Make sure they’re finely diced.
• Cheese – a combination of cream cheese, cheddar and mozzarella is what makes these tacos truly irresistible!
• Sour Cream – helps prevent a dry filling and will help bind everything together.
• Spring Onion – finely diced.
• Seasoning – I love adding smoked paprika, cumin and black pepper.

Whilst it’s tempting to eat the filling with a spoon at this point, trust me when I say it tastes SO much better melted. It’ll actually seem a little dry at the start, but once it melts inside the tortilla it gets nice and saucy.

Process shots: add fillings to bowl (photo 1), combine (photo 2).

Chicken Jalapeño Popper Tacos

Since there’s so much cheese in the filling, these tacos need to be cooked. Am I now in mini ‘quesadilla’ territory?! It’s too late

I love using street market tortillas to make these tacos. Just pan-fry them until golden and crispy with the filling just starting to leak out.

Process shots: add filling to tortilla (photo 1), fold over (photo 2), add to pan (photo 3), fry both sides (photo 4).

Chicken Jalapeño Popper Tacos FAQ

Can I use fresh jalapeños?

I have tested both fresh and pickled and much prefer pickled. The tanginess that comes from the brine really helps balance out and cut through the rich, cheesy filling.

Where can I find street market tortillas?

You’ll find the Old El Paso small street market tortillas in most supermarkets (I get mine from Morrisons).

Can I use other small tortillas?

You can use slightly larger tortillas and can use flour ones too (I find flour ones actually crisp up a little better). You’ll just end up with less tacos. In all cases, they should be relatively thin and crispy. Although the filling will look dry at the start, as it heats up it melts and begins leaking out of the tacos. Hence why you don’t want to overfill the tortillas.

Serving Chicken Jalapeño Popper Tacos

You could serve with Salsa, Guac or just as they are! To film, I actually served with Ranch mixed with hot sauce.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these jalapeño popper chicken tacos shall we?!

How to make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Tacos (Full Recipe & Video)

5 from 3 votes

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Tacos

By: Chris Collins

These are some of the most delicious tacos you'll ever make!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 12 minutes mins

Total: 22 minutes mins

Servings: 12 tacos

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Equipment

• Frying Pan & Spatula/Turner
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Box Grater

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 slices of Streaky Bacon (see notes)
• ▢ 250g / 9oz cooked Chicken, diced into small cubes
• ▢ 100g / 1 cup grated Cheddar
• ▢ 50g / 1/2 cup shredded/grated Mozzarella
• ▢ 100g / 3.5oz Cream Cheese
• ▢ 60g / 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• ▢ 30g / 1/4 cup pickled/jarred Jalapeños, finely diced
• ▢ 1 large Spring Onion, finely diced
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Cumin
• ▢ 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 12 Street Market Tortillas (see notes)
• ▢ Oil Spray, as needed for frying

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Instructions 

• Cook the bacon using your preferred method to your preferred texture.
• Meanwhile, combine everything else in a large mixing bowl until well-distributed. Once the bacon is cooked, dice it and fold it through the filling. It might seem a little dry at this point, which is fine.
• Spread the filling over half the tortillas, then fold them over and gently press down.
• In batches, pan fry the tacos over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp with the filling hot and bubbly. Lightly spray both sides of the tacos with oil before frying.
• Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Cooking the bacon - I typically pan-fry it as I'm already going to be using the pan. Plus I find this to be the quickest method. You can also air fry or bake it.

b) Bacon fat - if you'd like, you can retain any excess bacon fat and brush it on the tacos in replacement of the oil spray. Completely optional though!

c) Tortillas - you'll find the Old El Paso small street market tortillas in most supermarkets (I get mine from Morrisons). You can use slightly larger tortillas and can use flour ones too (I find flour ones actually crisp up a little better). You'll just end up with less tacos. In all cases, they should be relatively thin and crispy. Although the filling will look dry at the start, as it heats up it melts and begins leaking out of the tacos. Hence why you don't want to overfill the tortillas.

d) Serving - You could serve with Tortilla Chips and Salsa or Guac or just as they are! To film, I actually served with Ranch mixed with hot sauce.

e) Calories - Per taco.

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Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.31g | Protein: 13.54g | Fat: 14.69g | Saturated Fat: 5.185g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.765g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.779g | Trans Fat: 0.098g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 1.8g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1.38mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

For a ‘proper’ jalapeño popper recipe check out my Crispy Baked Jalapeño Poppers!

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