Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for these easy, flavor packed Bacon Wrapped Chicken Poppers with Tequila BBQ Glaze!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Brining the chicken tenders in a diluted fajita bath before they ever hit the pepper boats seasons the meat from the inside out, rather than relying on the bacon and glaze alone for flavor
- Cutting a wedge out of the top of each pepper instead of hollowing it from the stem end creates a stable "boat" shape that holds the filling without tipping over on the grill
- Reducing the tequila, pineapple juice, and BBQ sauce together concentrates all three into one syrupy glaze, rather than layering separate flavors on at the end
- Brushing the glaze on right before the peppers come off the grill lets it set into a sticky finish without burning over the full 45-minute cook
Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
American
Servings
10
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
548
Delight your guests with Chef Tom's Bacon Wrapped Chicken Poppers with Tequila BBQ Glaze, slow cooked to perfection with Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill! Enjoy the smoky, succulent flavor and let your taste buds dance.
Ingredients
- 10 chicken tenders
-
Sweetwater Spice Lime Jalapeño Fajita Bath
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 oz smoked cheddar, grated
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese, grated
-
2 tbsp Heat Mavericks Jalapeño Vice
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning
- 4 Anaheim peppers
- 4 poblano peppers
- 8-10 slices classic cut bacon
- 1/3 cup Una Vida Reposado Tequila
- 1/3 cup pineapple juice
-
1/3 cup Blues Hog Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
For the Tequila BBQ Glaze:
Directions
- Place the chicken tenders in a small Briner Bucket. Add equal parts Sweetwater Spice Lime Jalapeño Fajita Bath and water. Soak for 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 pellet grill to 425°F, set up for indirect grilling.
- Combine the cream cheese, cheddar, pepper jack, Heat Mavericks Jalapeño Vice and Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning in a mixing bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Set your peppers flat on a sheet pan. Using a paring knife, slice a wedge out of the tops of the peppers to create a “boat” to hold the cheese and chicken fillings.
- Fill the peppers 3/4 full of the cream cheese filling. Top each with one chicken tender from the fajita bath. Season with a shake of Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Seasoning. Wrap one slice of bacon around each stuffed pepper and pin in place with toothpicks.
- Grill the peppers on the sheet pan over indirect heat until the internal temperature of the chicken tender reaches at least 160°F, and the bacon is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
- While the peppers are cooking, make the Tequila BBQ Glaze. Combine the tequila, pineapple juice and Blues Hog Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce in a skillet and reduce the liquid down to a syrupy consistency over medium heat.
- Just before removing the stuffed peppers from the grill, brush with the Tequila BBQ Glaze.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why brine the chicken tenders before stuffing them into the peppers?
Soaking them in a diluted fajita bath for 45-60 minutes seasons the meat from the inside out, so the chicken itself carries flavor rather than relying entirely on the bacon wrap and glaze to do the work.
Why cut a wedge out of the top of the peppers instead of hollowing them out from the stem?
Slicing a wedge from the top creates a stable "boat" shape that sits flat and holds the cream cheese filling and chicken without tipping over once it's on the grill.
Why reduce the tequila, pineapple juice, and BBQ sauce together instead of using the BBQ sauce alone?
Cooking all three down together concentrates them into one syrupy glaze with layered sweetness and acidity, rather than brushing on a single flat BBQ sauce flavor at the end.
Why brush on the glaze only right before the peppers come off the grill?
Adding it at the very end lets the sugars set into a sticky finish without having 45 minutes of heat to burn over. Glazing earlier in the cook would risk scorching the tequila-pineapple reduction.
Does pulling the chicken at 160°F mean it's fully cooked?
Not quite — this recipe's own directions say to pull at 160°F, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F. Continue cooking until the chicken tender reaches at least 165°F rather than stopping at 160°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 a regular oven can roast the stuffed, bacon-wrapped peppers on a sheet pan in place of the pellet grill; the glaze comes together on the stovetop regardless.
Recipe Highlights
Diluted fajita brine: Seasons the chicken tenders before they're ever stuffed into the peppers.
Wedge-cut pepper boats: Creates a stable shape that holds filling without tipping.
Triple-reduced glaze: Concentrates tequila, pineapple, and BBQ sauce into one syrupy finish.
End-of-cook glazing: Prevents the sugars from burning over the long cook time.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 8.07 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 548
- Carbs
- 10 grams
- Protein
- 66 grams
- Fat
- 25 grams
- Sodium
- 875 milligrams
