The photo says it all: Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Stuffed Chile Peppers. *Cue lights from the heavens and the angels singing, this is a GOOD recipe!*
Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Stuffed Chile Peppers are the ultimate BBQ Chicken recipe. Tender shredded chicken stuff in a chile pepper, wrapped in bacon and drizzled with sweet agave nectar.
First, a little chile pepper trivia. Did you know that chile peppers are actually a fruit? Yep, the internal edible seeds classify all 100+ varieties of chiles as a fruit rather than a vegetable.
Did you also know that the substance that gives chiles their heat is called capsaicin? Scientists have recently correlated chiles receiving more water produce higher heats (for their species) and those with less water with a milder heat index.
The last great debate: chili versus chile. I recently presented this question to a notable book editor since even the Internet couldn’t give me a concrete answer. Her answer: chili is reserved for stews, chile is reserved for the actual fruit.
In my experience, everyone has their own reason of why they use which term, but for now I’ll stick with her reasoning so this recipe is for Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Stuffed Chile Peppers. Say that 10 times fast!
Chile peppers range in heat, size, geographic location and season, but ultimately all have a few similarities like the shape, seeds and flesh. Even the skin can vary. Some are more waxy and better off being roasted and skinned while others have a soft skin that is perfectly easy to eat.
Now that you are armed with a few chile pepper Jeopardy questions, let’s talk about Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Stuffed Chile Peppers. This recipe is simple and versatile.
You can use any type of chile pepper you wish as long as it is cavernous and has fairly thick flesh to uphold on the grill. While I’ve used poblano peppers because I like their relatively thin skin, I also use Hatch chiles when they are in season and have even been known to make this dish into an appetizer by stuffing jalapenos.
As previously discussed, some chile peppers have a waxy skin that is edible, but not everyone’s cup of tea. While I am fine with noshing my way through it, others aren’t, so choose a pepper that doesn’t have the thickest skin. The bacon and heat will help soften it as well.
For these stuffed chile peppers, I carefully removed the seeds from the inside of each pepper, stuff them with BBQ chicken, wrap each one with bacon, grill to perfection and then drizzle with agave nectar to complete the dish. They were wildly popular at my home, as I am sure they will be at yours as well!
One thing to keep in mind is when you are picking out your chile peppers, aim for ones that are “roomy”- if they are collapsed you will not be able to fit in as much BBQ chicken and that would be disastrous.
Also check out these chile recipes:
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- BBQ Chicken Stuffed and Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chiles
- Chile Relleno Quiche
- Chile Rellano Bites
- Chile Verde Burritos
- Double Crunch Monte Cristo Chile Relleno Sandwich
- Creamy Corn, Bacon and Chile Dip
If you are looking for even more fabulous appetizers, snag a copy of my Easy Appetizers Beyond Dips Mini-Cookbook. Available here for only $0.99, one of these fun and festive appetizers sure to be the hit of any gathering!
- 4 chile peppers large and cavernous, or other type of green chile*
- 3/4 cup shredded chicken **see note
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8-12 strips center cut bacon depends on the size of your chiles
- 4 tablespoons agave nectar
- In a small mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese. Also, soak 15 toothpicks in a bowl of water.
- Wash the chile peppers using gloves, oils produced can still burn your skin, so wearing protective gloves, such as non-powder latex gloves is highly recommended. Cut a thin slit from the stem to tip, all the way down. Using your fingers, carefully remove seeds and membranes, or at least as much as you can get. Reserve stem, even though you can't eat it, it is beautiful for presentation.
- Using your fingers, carefully stuff chicken and cheese mixture into each pepper. You might have a little left over- size of chili peppers can vary greatly!
- Wrap 2-3 strips of bacon around each pepper, securing with toothpicks, as many as are needed.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. When heated, lightly coat with cooking spray and place the bacon wrapped chili peppers onto the top rack or on indirect heat. Turn every 2 minutes until all sides are done and bacon is fully cooked, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and plate on your serving dish. Remove toothpicks. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon agave nectar over each chili pepper. Enjoy your Bacon Wrapped and BBQ Chicken Stuffed Chile Peppers!
Shredded chicken can be as simple as purchasing a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, pull apart and discard bones and skin. You can buy chicken strips and chop them further, use left over chicken from another meal or bake and shred 1 chicken breast.
You can order Hatch Green Chiles and other varieties from ChileMonster.com. It is the only site I trust for fresh and flavorful chiles.
Could you do these in the oven??
Oh my gosh, these look amazingly good. Can you deliver a load right now please!
Now these would be a hit in my house! Yum!
These look great.
Bacon wrapped and melted cheese, the question is, how many could I eat? They look so good.
This looks delicious! BBQ and bacon??? this would be a success at home!
XOXO
You had me at bacon and BBQ! But the chicken and cheese takes it over the top!
Yummy! How did you come up with this? Anything wrapped in bacon wins me over!
It was one of those things that evolved… BBQ chicken stuffed peppers, then added bacon, then said- you know what, it needs something sweet… and it was born!
Yummmmm! I love poblanos and anything with bacon!! pinned
Hubby couldn’t agree with you more…not matter what I make, he always thinks it should be topped with bacon! LOL.