the only
chicken
recipe
there is
6 chicken thighs
6tbsp cream cheese
1.5lb bacon
a few pickled jalapeños
season with your heart:
Tony's creole seasoning
ground mustard
coriander
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
ingredients
1. Preheat your oven to 425F.
2. Place your chicken thighs on a cutting board and season both sides with Tonys, ground mustard, coriander, salt, and pepper. Lay a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the chicken and pound them out to an even thickness with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
3. Place a tablespoon of cream cheese and a couple of jalapeños in the center of each chicken thigh. Roll them up to secure the filling, then wrap each chicken with one or two pieces of bacon. Secure with toothpicks if needed. Top with a few extra slices of jalapeño.
4. Transfer chicken to a casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to 425F and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F.
5. Serve right away over rice, mashed potatoes, or your roasted veg of choice.
process
yield: 3 servings
cook time: 1 hour
course: main
chicken thighs stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños, then wrapped in bacon
about the recipe
Chicken thighs. Stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños. Wrapped in bacon. Is there anything in the world that sounds better? It’s creamy, spicy, rich, juicy, and smoky all at once. Even the pickiest eaters would go crazy for this dish.
It’s not exactly gourmet—but it’s hands-down one of my favorite dinners of all time. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but this recipe actually comes from my dad, who used to pick up a version of it from Best Stop Supermarket in Scott, Louisiana. Best Stop is the place for Cajun meals and snacks. (I wish this was sponsored, but sadly it’s not.)
I always pound out the chicken thighs before stuffing and rolling them. Not only does it make wrapping easier, but it also helps break down the muscle fibers so the meat turns out extra tender and juicy.
You could bake the chicken on a rack if you’d prefer evenly crispy bacon all around, but I love the result of cooking the chicken in all the juices and fats that come out during the process.And yes, you can absolutely make jalapeño stuffed chicken thighs on the grill! Just be sure to secure the bacon with toothpicks so it doesn’t unravel over the heat.
These are best straight from the oven, but you can prep them in advance. Assemble the stuffed thighs, wrap in bacon, and keep them in the fridge (uncooked) for up to 2 days. Bake only what you plan to eat fresh. Leftovers should be eaten within a week.
While this dish might not be considered healthy in most circles, it’s low-carb and keto-friendly—which counts for something! With plenty of protein, healthy fats, and minimal carbs, it fits perfectly into a keto or low-carb meal plan.