These jalapeño popper chicken tacos are creamy, cheesy and packed with a kick of heat. Made with simple ingredients, they’re an easy, flavour-loaded dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes!
Reader, Hayley says: ‘I made these today for dinner, served with salad & sweet chilli dip and WOW!!! they were delicious! As a family of 4 we rate them 10/10 ★★★★★‘
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).
Recipe Tip
You can make the filling ahead of time, just tightly store it in the fridge for a few days, then use as needed.
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
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.
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 fewer 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. These are perfect for a quick taco dinner, but just as awesome to serve for guests on game day, potlucks, and gatherings.
These are perfect as they are, but if you fancy a little something on the side, here are my favourite taco sides:
- Spicy Potatoes or Potato Wedges
- Jalapeno Poppers
- Loaded Smashed Potatoes or Loaded Smashed Tater Tots
- Tortilla Chips
After more taco inspiration? Check out my full Taco Collection!
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)
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Tacos
Equipment
- Frying Pan & Spatula/Turner
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Box Grater
Ingredients
- 6 slices of Streaky Bacon (see notes)
- 9oz / 250g cooked Chicken, diced into small cubes
- 1 cup / 100g grated Cheddar
- 1/2 cup / 50g shredded/grated Mozzarella
- 3.5oz / 100g Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup / 60g Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup / 30g 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
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
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
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!
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Delicious Taco Recipes
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- Marry Me Chicken Tacos
- Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Fish Finger Tacos
- Puff Pastry Tacos
- Sausage Tacos
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These are delicious, I make them weekly
Thanks so much for the review, Ella! 🙂 C.
These have become my go to appetizers. I use flavored small flavored flour tortillas, grill them on the flat top grill. Make several dipping sauces. I’m getting the big head!! Everyone loves them…..!
Thanks so much for the awesome review! 🙂 C.
I made these today for dinner, served with salad & sweet chilli dip and WOW!!! they were delicious! As a family of 4 we rate them 10/10
Thanks so much for the review, Haley! 🙂 C.
Omg these were DELICIOUS!! Will def be making again.
Thanks for the review, Meghan! 🙂 C.