Healthy Recipes Main Dish Casserole Jalapeño Popper Casserole 5.0 (4) 2 Reviews In this jalapeño popper casserole, tender, juicy bites of chicken are slathered in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce with a crunchy topping of panko breadcrumbs and crispy bacon. Enjoy this casserole over rice for dinner or serve it with chips as a game-day appetizer. By Karen Rankin Karen Rankin Karen Rankin is a recipe tester, developer and food stylist. She is also a writer whose work has appeared in EatingWell, Southern Living, MyRecipes, Cooking Light, Real Simple and Food & Wine. She has served as a food stylist for many of those same brands and produces a series of videos for Southern Living called Tips from the Test Kitchen. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 6, 2024 Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen The EatingWell Test Kitchen is comprised of a group of culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a Registered Dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that's not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 8 Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Nutrition Notes Jalapeños are hot peppers that are on the milder end of the Scoville Scale. For example, compared to a bell pepper, which ranks at zero on the scale, a jalapeño ranks at an average of 5,000—but a ghost pepper ranks at an average of almost 950,000 on the scale. Besides being spicy, jalapeños are a good source of vitamin C. Eating spicy food has also been associated with some health benefits, including supporting a healthy heart and blood pressure. And eating spicy food may help you feel more satisfied after eating it. Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein. It has a minimal amount of saturated fat. Also, it provides vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and choline, a nutrient that is necessary for your nervous system to function properly. Thanks to its leanness, chicken breast fits nicely into a variety of healthy eating patterns. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 center-cut bacon slices, chopped 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and light green parts separated from dark green parts 1 cup chopped jalapeño peppers, (about 4 large, seeds and ribs removed), plus 1 jalapeño, sliced ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup no-salt-added chicken broth 1 cup whole milk 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese 1 ¼ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate, reserving drippings in the pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the drippings in the pan; cook over medium-high heat until melted, about 30 seconds. Add half of the chicken and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the procedure with the remaining chicken and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Without wiping the pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, white and light green parts of scallions and chopped jalapeños; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stirring to coat; cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in the chicken, mozzarella and salt. Spoon the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cover with foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling throughout, about 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with the reserved bacon, dark green parts of scallions and jalapeño slices. Serve hot. Equipment Large, deep skillet; 9-by-13-inch baking dish Frequently Asked Questions Are onions and scallions the same? Yes, they are botanically the same but named differently according to regional preferences. How do I make this recipe less spicy? The hot parts of the jalapeño peppers (seeds and ribs) are removed for this recipe. However, if you think it won't be mild enough for your taste, cut back on the number of peppers. What can I serve with Jalapeño Popper Casserole? Any of the Southern classics would work well with this casserole: collard greens, rice, black beans, roasted root veggies and cornbread. And you can’t go wrong with a simple green salad. Is this gluten-free? Due to the panko bread crumbs, as is, this dish is not gluten-free. You could make it gluten-free by leaving them out but then you miss out on the crunchy topping. Instead, use gluten-free panko bread crumbs. Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2020 Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 398 Calories 18g Fat 15g Carbs 43g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Serving Size 1 cup Calories 398 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 15g 5% Dietary Fiber 2g 7% Total Sugars 4g Protein 43g 86% Total Fat 18g 23% Saturated Fat 9g 45% Cholesterol 147mg 49% Vitamin A 773IU 15% Sodium 396mg 17% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines