Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers (Air Fryer)

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer for game day, a summer BBQ, or just craving a snack with a kick, these jalapeño poppers wrapped with bacon are big on flavor without a lot of fuss. They’re the perfect blend of creamy, crunchy, salty, and spicy, and the only thing better than the explosion of flavor and texture is how easy they are to prepare.

You can easily prep this appetizer ahead of time, and the air fryer makes it simple to get a crisp bacon layer and warm, melty filling in just 15 minutes. Just like with our bacon-wrapped shrimp, the air fryer creates perfect crispy bacon every time, without flipping.

How to Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Ingredients

Process

1. Preheat air fryer to 380˚F, if needed. Place cream cheese, shredded cheddar, chives, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix together until completely combined.

3. Scoop mixture into each jalapeño cavity until filled (can use a piping bag to make it easier to fill, but it is not necessary).
4. Carefully wrap each filled jalapeño with a single layer of bacon, slightly overlapping as it’s wrapped.

5. Spray the air fryer basket with high-heat cooking spray and place half of the jalapeño poppers into the air fryer, making sure they aren’t touching one another.
6. Air fry for 13 to 15 minutes or until the bacon has crisped.

7. Remove from the air fryer and cool for a few minutes before serving.

Best Type of Bacon to Use

For these air-fried jalapeño poppers, use either regular or thin-sliced bacon. The bacon will crisp up and cook through without overcooking the peppers or leaving the filling too hot and melted. With thick-cut bacon or turkey bacon, the peppers are more likely to overcook before the bacon is done.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Use gloves when slicing and deseeding the jalapeño peppers to prevent the oils from lingering on your hands. Even after washing your hands, oils can remain, burning your face or eyes if touched.

To prevent the cheesy filling from spilling out and making a mess, don’t overfill the peppers. A little bit goes a long way.

Wrap the bacon securely, but not too tightly. As bacon cooks, it shrinks, so you’l want to leave a small amount of slack to prevent them from cooking too tightly and sliding off the poppers.

To prevent the bacon from unwrapping, use toothpicks to fasten each bacon strip down to the jalapeño popper. This gives the jalapeño poppers a cleaner, more wrapped appearance.

Cook in batches if needed to prevent the poppers from touching each other. The bacon will cook together if they’re in contact, so make sure you leave a half-inch to an inch of space between each.

Prep Ahead Instructions

To make these air fryer bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers even easier, you can complete some or most of the steps ahead of time and just toss them in the air fryer when you’re ready to serve them.

Make the cream cheese filling up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

You can also fill the jalapeños and wrap them in bacon up to a day ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to toss them in the air fryer.

We recommend waiting until just before serving to air fry them, so the poppers can be enjoyed warm and crispy.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

To mellow out the spiciness of these poppers, serve them alongside crudites and a cool dip like French onion, guacamole, or homemade ranch dressing.

Enjoy these poppers as a fun side to a pork tenderloin sandwich, a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, or a juicy Lucy burger.

For a tailgate or big game appetizer spread, pair these poppers with carne asada fries, pull-apart pigs in a blanket, and mini crunchwrap supremes.

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