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Buffalo chicken poppers on a small white ceramic plate. The poppers are topped with blue cheese dressing, buffalo sauce, & chopped green herbs. The plate is atop a white marble surface.

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Poppers

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours (includes inactive time)
  • Yield: serves 8-10 1x
  • Category: Appetizer recipes, Snack recipes
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Grilled Buffalo Chicken Poppers are not your average jalapeno poppers! Mini sweet peppers stuffed with an easy buffalo chicken filling made from cream cheese, buffalo sauce, chicken, & bacon. The perfect snack for tailgating or game day!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 1012 mini sweet peppers (see Recipe Notes)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup shredded chicken
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (about 2 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
  • for serving, as desired: buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, chopped cilantro or parsley

Instructions

  1. Prep: 
    1. Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is rendered & crisp. Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. 
    2. Slice the peppers: Use a small knife to remove 1/3 of each pepper lengthwise (reference photos, above). Use a small spoon or a finger to remove the seeds & any excess ribs from the inside of the pepper. Trim any excess stems as needed. Set aside.
  2. Make the buffalo chicken filling: Add the bacon, cream cheese, chicken, cheddar, and buffalo sauce to a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer or wooden spoon to combine. 
  3. Assemble the buffalo chicken poppers: Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the buffalo chicken mixture into each prepared pepper. Use the back of the spoon or your fingers, as needed, to press the buffalo chicken filling into the nooks & crannies of the pepper. 
  4. Chill: Place the assembled buffalo chicken poppers in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour, or the freezer for at least 20 minutes. 
  5. Preheat your grill: Prepare your grill for medium heat, about 450 degrees F. For this recipe, I used my Weber 22-inch Original Kettle Grill from The Home Depot. For a step-by-step guide on how to light a charcoal grill, be sure to check out this post.
  6. Grill the buffalo chicken poppers: Place the poppers on the grill grates over direct heat. It helps to place the poppers such that the length of the pepper runs along the grates – you can cradle a popper between two grates. Grill until the peppers are slightly blistered & charred, & the poppers have warmed through, about 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees F. Use a grill spatula to transfer the poppers to a serving dish.
  7. Serve: As soon as the poppers are cool enough to handle, serve topped with extra buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, & a sprinkling of fresh cilantro or parsley as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Peppers: In making this recipe, I realized that mini sweet peppers vary quite a bit in size! For best results, use larger, round mini sweet peppers as opposed to smaller or flatter peppers. If you’d like spicier poppers, feel free to swap the sweet peppers with jalapenos. 
  • Baked buffalo chicken poppers: If you’d prefer to bake these poppers, arrange the assembled poppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easy clean up. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, until the filling begins to bubble.