Jalapeño Popper Chicken Thighs Are the Easy Air Fryer Dinner Everyone Will Love

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1. Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Arrange bacon strips in a single layer in air-fryer basket. Cook 3 minutes or until par-cooked but still flexible. Set aside to cool slightly. Wipe out air fryer.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, garlic powder, the 1/8 tsp. salt, and the 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Place 2 pepper halves together, filled sides facing each other. (If your jalapeños are closer to 2" in length, you may need to use 4 halves.)

   Canned jalapeños can vary considerably in size. Smaller cans (such as 7 oz. cans) may contain smaller jalapeños while larger cans (such as 25 oz. cans) may contain larger jalapeños. Larger 4-inch jalapeños work well in this recipe and you will use 1 jalapeño per chicken thigh. If your jalapeños are smaller, place 2 stuffed jalapeños end to end per chicken thigh.

3. Place chicken thighs between two pieces of plastic wrap. Lightly pound chicken out to 1/4-inch thick. Place chicken on a cutting board with the insides facing up. Place a stuffed jalapeño in the center of each thigh. Roll the chicken around the pepper to enclose. Season chicken rolls with paprika and the remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Wrap each thigh with 2 strips of par-cooked bacon; secure with toothpicks.

4. Working in batches if needed, arrange chicken thighs in air-fryer basket (do not overcrowd). Cook at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until chicken is done (175°F). Serve with hot honey (if using).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.