Easy Jalapeno Poppers with Rice and Bacon

Enjoy the classic jalapeno poppers appetizers without getting flamed by the heat. In this easy jalapeno poppers recipe, rice and dairy tame the flames, while bacon keeps it flavorful.

I love, love, LOVE jalapeno poppers.

They are the ultimate game day food or addition to your New Year’s feasting. They’re easy to make, take just a few ingredients, and include bacon.

Anything with bacon has got to be delicious. And on the menu – STAT.

But, sometimes jalapeño poppers can be so flaming hot that it can give me a tummy ache if I eat too many. And seriously, who wants to stop eating jalapeño poppers.

Once upon a time, I decided to experiment and see if I could create an easy jalapeno popper recipe that was packed with flavor but didn’t punch me too hard in the gut.

I knew dairy would soften the blow as would brown rice. So I played around and came up with these delicious bites filled with rice, two cheeses, bacon, and cilantro. Yum! You’re going to love these for your next game day or other family get-together!

While they may be more than your traditional three-ingredient poppers, these easy jalapeño poppers are amazingly good. One tester said, “I was a bit skeptical about the jalapeño cuz I am not a spicy fan OMG soooooo good!!!”

So there you have it. Even if you’re not a spicy fan, you will love these easy jalapeño poppers.

What are jalapeño poppers?

Traditional jalapeño poppers are seeded jalapeño pepper halves filled with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon strips then baked until the bacon is crispy and the peppers are tender. Some recipe embellish the cream cheese with shredded cheese and seasonings.

Is it expensive to make jalapeño poppers?

Fresh jalapeño peppers are usually pretty economical, however bacon can get pretty pricy.

How can you make inexpensive jalapeño peppers?

These easy jalapeño peppers included chopped bacon, rather than whole strips, allowing you to stretch your bacon purchase while still retaining that smoky bacon flavor.

Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:

• Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When I find regular kitchen staples on sale, I buy a lot. I’m currently using a price book to track prices and that’s saving me money. For this recipe, keeping an eye on the prices of cheese, rice, sour cream, and bacon can help keep the price down.
• Use up leftovers – this is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked rice.

How do you make easy jalapeño peppers?

This recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.

Here are the tools that I use for this recipe:

• plastic cutting boards – I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
• Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
• sheet pans – I LOVE my set of steel sheet pans. They make such a difference in baking.
• plastic gloves – It can be helpful to wear gloves when working with spicy peppers. You definitely don’t want to get the oils on your skin or face.

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5 from 1 vote

Easy Jalapeno Poppers

An easy jalapeno poppers recipe with bacon and rice to tame the heat!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 jalapeno split and seeded
• ▢ 6 slices bacon chopped, cooked until crisp, and drained
• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ▢ 4 oz cheddar cheese (shredded) (1 cup)
• ▢ 1 cup cooked brown rice cooled
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°. Lay the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the bacon, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, rice, cilantro and cumin. Stir well to combine.
• Fill peppers with the cheese and rice mixture, dividing it evenly.
• Bake peppers for 10 to 15 minutes until peppers are soft and filling is hot and bubbly.

Notes

• Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When I find regular kitchen staples on sale, I buy a lot. I’m currently using a price book to track prices and that’s saving me money. For this recipe, keeping an eye on the prices of cheese, rice, sour cream, and bacon can help keep the price down.
• Use up leftovers - this is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 69mg | Vitamin A: 350IU | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @JessicaGFisher or tag #goodcheapeats!

Images by Boston Girl Bakes.