Chicken Jalapeno Cheese bites are an all-in-one twist on classic nachos. A blend of ground chicken, jalapenos, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and seasonings are shaped into balls. Then, they’re coated in panko and fried until golden and crispy. What you end up with is the delicious flavor of chicken nachos in every bite and with zero mess!
The thing that makes these so much fun is that they take all the flavor of loaded chicken nachos and put it into a fun, poppable shape. I love making these for special events because they’re such an unexpected twist on classic nachos, and everyone really gets a kick out of them. Of course, the idea is unique, but after that initial debut, the taste is what really steals the show. These chicken bites are GOOD. They’re meaty, zesty, and bold, and their panko breading adds such a nice, crunch, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses simple ingredients found in any grocery store. There’s nothing fancy here!
- Easy: Just mix, shape, and fry. That’s how easy this recipe is.
- Delicious: Every bite is loaded with meaty chicken, jalapenos, cheese, and bold seasonings.
- Fun: These chicken bites are a great way to enjoy the flavor of nachos in a new way.
Ingredients
Chicken Mix
- Ground Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts are meaty and have a mild flavor that makes them perfect for pairing with the flavors in this recipe.
- Pickled Jalapenos: Pickled jalapenos add a big kick of pepper flavor that’s a bit more mild than raw jalapenos.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the perfect ingredient that holds everything together and has a slightly tangy and mild flavor.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese is melt and bold and stands up well to the other ingredients in the recipe.
- All the Seasonings: This zesty seasoning blend gives the chicken bites so much flavor.
Breading
- Flour: Flour is the first stage of the breading and ensures the rest of the coating stays in place.
- Buttermilk and Egg: A blend of buttermilk and eggs ensures the breading sticks readily to the chicken mix.
- Panko: Crushed panko creates a golden, crunchy exterior for the nachos.
- Seasonings: A blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes gives these bites a big kick of flavor.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Extra Spicy: Use fresh jalapenos or an even hotter pepper variety for an extra kick.
- Mild: Omit the red pepper flakes and the diced jalapenos from the chicken mix for a mild version.
- Ground Meat: Try this recipe using other ground meats like breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, bratwurst, and the like.
Instructions
1: In a large skillet add ground chicken and the seasonings for the chicken. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink.
2: After the chicken is cooked, and has cooled a bit, add the chicken to a large bowl. Add diced jalapenos, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar. Mix until combined.
3: Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Flash freeze for 45 minutes to an hour.
4: Add the flour to a shallow container. Then, add whisked buttermilk and egg to another container. Finally, combine the breadcrumbs and the seasonings for the coating in a third container.
5: Preheat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat before removing the chicken bites from the freezer.
6: Add each ball into the flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
7: Deep fry 6 to 8 bites at a time until golden on all sides. Then, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the bites have been fried. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Hint
It’s important to fry your chicken bites in batches to ensure the oil stays nice and hot. This ensures the coating is crispy rather than soggy.
Storage
Refrigerate these chicken cheese bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
To reheat, defrost them if frozen. Then, air fry them for a about 8 minutes or microwave them at 30-second intervals until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious chicken jalapeno cheddar bites are perfect for dipping in sauces or dips. I love them with cream cheese chili dip, spicy queso dip, and tomatillo salsa verde.
Tips
- Be sure you flash freeze your chicken bites for an hour so they’re nice and frozen. It keeps the mixture from falling apart as you coat and fry them.
- Always wash your hands and never touch your face when working with hot peppers.
- Give your bites a gentle tap in between each coating to ensure a nice, even coating.
Frequently Asked Questions
White meat ground chicken is readily available in any grocery store.
Pickled jalapenos have some heat to them, but generally not as much as fresh jalapenos. That being said, you can find them in varieties ranging from mild to hot.
If you don’t adequately preheat your oil or you add to many chicken bites to the oil, it won’t be hot enough to immediately crisp the outside of them. When that happens, the breading absorbs the oil instead and becomes soggy.
Try These Chicken Jalapeno Cheese Bites Today
For all the flavor of loaded chicken nachos in a fun, easy-to-eat package, you can’t beat these chicken jalapeno bites! They are absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Everyone always loves them, too. Give them a try, and I know you’ll fall in love with them.
More Delicious Traditional Nacho Recipes
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Chicken Jalapeno Cheese Bites
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 heaping tablespoon pickled diced jalapenos
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Crispy Coating
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs, crushed
- 2 teaspoons slap ya mama seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a large skillet add ground chicken, and the seasonings for the chicken. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked and no longer pink.
- Add chicken to a large bowl. Once chicken has cooled a bit, add diced jalapenos, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar.
- Roll into one inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Flash freeze for 45 minutes to an hour.
- While the chicken bites are in the freezer, set up a dredging station with 3 shallow containers.
Crispy Coating
- In the first container, add flour.
- The second container is buttermilk and egg. Whisk together.
- In the third container add breadcrumbs and all the seasonings for the coating.
- Add each ball into the flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat oil over medium high heat.
- Place about 6-8 balls into the hot oil and deep fry until golden on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Make sure to work in batches so the oil keeps the perfect temperature.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Be sure you flash freeze your chicken bites for an hour so they’re nice and frozen. It keeps the mixture from falling apart as you coat and fry them.
- Always wash your hands and never touch your face when working with hot peppers.
- Give your bites a gentle tap in between each coating to ensure a nice, even coating.
Nutrition
