These succulent and mouthwatering Paleo and Whole30 chicken stuffed jalapeño poppers are next level! They will have you kissing those flavorless cream cheese filled ones “good-bye” forever! Stuffed with tender seasoned chicken breast and red onion, these savory and spiced Texas Twinkies are super easy to make and are perfect for your next barbecue, dinner, game day snack or get together.

Seasoned with Paleo Powder Pink or my own BBQ rub spice blend, you can be sure that your poppers will taste absolutely amazing without any of the added sugars and additives you find in so many other barbecue spice rubs. It’s crazy to me when I read the ingredient label on so many of these barbecue rubs and the first ingredient is sugar, which we know to be inflammatory and contain no nutritional value. To keep this Paleo and Whole30 compliant, be sure to buy no sugar added bacon as well! 

These delicious hand held babies are full of protein and are gluten free and dairy free!  Slather them in your favorite Paleo Barbecue Sauce to step it up a notch and your family will be asking for these on repeat!

Why Jalapeño Peppers are So Good for You!

Jalapeños are a spicy pepper found in the nightshade family and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals.  The vitamins found in these little beauties are C, B6, B9 (folate) K and A!

The type of K vitamin found primarily in plants, like jalapeños, is vitamin K1.  This differs from vitamin K2 in the roles that it plays in our bodies, but is essential none the less.  When eaten, vitamin K1 is converted into K2 by the bacteria found in our gut (healthy gut=healthy you.)

Vitamin K2 is primarily found in animal and fermented foods and is a necessary nutrient in bone and heart health [1].  Both vitamins K1 and K2 are fat soluble vitamins, which means they are not absorbed into our bodies the same way water soluble vitamins are.  The absorption of these fat soluble vitamins is increased when you consume them with healthy dietary fats like avocados and animal fats.

Jalapeños also contain the trace mineral manganese (Mn).  Manganese is an essential mineral that plays many roles in our bodies from supporting healthy nerve and brain function, to blood sugar regulation, and the metabolism of the fats and carbohydrates we consume. 

Smoked Chicken Texas Twinkies Ingredients

Makes approximately 16-24 Poppers

8-12 Large Jalapeños, halved and de-seeded

3-4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 2″-3″ strips

1 Red onion, cut into 1.5-2”pieces

16-24 Strips of No-sugar Bacon

2 Tbsp Paleo Powder Pink , divided

OR

1 Tbsp Fine Sea Salt or Pink Salt

1 tsp Brown Coconut Sugar

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Ground Mustard

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Dried Thyme (opt)

Paleo Barbecue Sauce (opt)

How to Make Smoked Chicken Texas Twinkies

1. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees (The one I have and love is a RecTeq Pellet Smoker : I have no affiliation with this company)

2. If you are making your own spice blend, add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir well with a fork to evenly mix.

3. Rinse and dry all the jalapeños, halve and de-seed them with a teaspoon (I like to leave the stem on the top, but feel free to cut it off if you desire), set aside.  Prepare the onion by cutting it into 1.5-2” slices and set aside with the jalapeños. 

4. Slice the chicken into 2”-3″ strips, whatever will fit in your jalapeños without being too small or overhanging out of the pepper too much.  Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, seasoning with half of the spice seasoning.

5. Layer the chicken first into the jalapeño, topping with a slice of onion.  Wrap the popper with bacon and set on a baking sheet.  If you are having a hard time getting the bacon to stay around the jalapeño popper, use a toothpick to keep it in place, just make sure you either remove it once they are finished smoking or let your friends and family know it is there.  Once all the Texas Twinkies are ready, season the outside with the remaining spice seasoning.

6. Place the poppers on the smoker for about 45-minutes to 1-hour, turning the heat up to 350 degrees for last 10-15 minutes to crisp the bacon.  During these last 10-minutes if you want to slather on some of your favorite BBQ sauce, now is the time.

7. Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

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FAQs

Q: Can I cook these on the grill?

A: Absolutely! I would grill them over indirect heat so the bacon fat doesn’t cause any flare ups.

Q: Can I smoke these longer than 1-hour?

A: Yes, but, with is having chicken breast meat, you run the risk of overcooking and drying out the chicken.

Q: Can I make these ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! I do!! Just cover them and keep them refrigerated until ready to smoke!

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. – Amy

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