Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

These tasty treats are perfect for game day, a holiday celebration or any family gathering. I particularly like to serve them for Cinco de Mayo, but really you can make them anytime. The combination of the buffalo chicken flavor you get from wings is melded with jalapeno poppers to make a super combination for this hearty appetizer. 

Heat Level: Today I'm using jalapeno peppers, which are a bit hard to predict when it comes to how spicy- hot they will be. So if you have guests that don't want anything too spicy, get a bag of the tri-color sweet mini peppers and use those instead, or in combination with the jalapenos. You can also adjust the heat-level by the selection of the buffalo hot sauce you choose. I'm using the famous Franks brand and there is a guide on the back to the various levels of heat the different sauces provide. I'm using the most mild buffalo wing sauce they make. 

Baking/Air-Frying: You can use your air fryer for this recipe or simply bake them in the oven. If your oven has a convection function set it to the 'convect roast' setting if possible. This will circulate the hot air and provide heat from the top element helping them to brown. 'Convect bake' will be fine if that's the only option. Of course you can just use a regular oven as well, although you may need to turn on the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to aid in browning. 

Chicken:  If you have some left over chicken from a rotisserie chicken it is ideal in this recipe. You can also used canned chicken. Note that a 12 ounce can of chicken from Costco does not actually contain 12 ounces of chicken. Press out the liquid and weigh the chicken. I typically use the entire can which weighs just under 6 ounces. 

Make Ahead/Freezing: If you can't use all 20 pieces at one time, these peppers can be frozen. Follow all of the steps except do not spray the breaded peppers with oil as indicated at the end. Simply freeze them in an airtight flat container. If you need more than one later, separate with parchment paper. When ready to use, preheat your oven and place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them lightly with oil as indicated in the recipe. Place into the oven/air fryer for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140F degrees. If they start to become overly brown, cover lightly with foil until the property temperature is reached. 

If making ahead, stuff and refrigerate without breading.
Bread them 30 minutes before baking.

Ingredients (20 servings)

10 jalapeno peppers 

     (substitute sweet min bell peppers)
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
3 medium scallions (green part only, chopped)
2 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4-6 ounces shredded or canned chicken
1/4 cup hot sauce

    (Franks or any buffalo wing sauce)
4 egg whites 
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp chili powder (optional)
pinch salt and pepper
cooking spray

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a baking sheet lined with foil with canola oil .

Wearing food safe gloves, cut peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the pith and seeds (the placenta and capsaicin glands) where the largest concentration of ‘heat’ in a pepper is located. Discard the pith and seeds. 

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and chopped green scallions with a sturdy spoon. Stir in shredded chicken and hot sauce.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic and optional chili powder with the panko bread crumbs. Stir in salt and pepper. 

Still with gloves on, fill peppers with chicken cheese filling using a small spoon. (Note: You can pause here and refrigerate until closer to serving time. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking.)

Whisk the egg whites in a narrow bowl until just beginning to foam. 

Dip peppers in egg whites, then in panko mixture to coat and place on prepared baking sheet.

Spray the peppers with a little more oil and bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve warm.