These Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are the perfect bite-size snack for your next game day, Thanksgiving appetizer, holiday party, or any gathering!
Crunchy tortilla chips loaded with melted cheeses, crispy thick-cut bacon, spicy jalapenos, and air-fried to perfection, be prepared for these to disappear fast!
This highly snackable appetizer is an easy recipe to double, is gluten-free, and simple to whip up!
Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers Ingredients
- Tortilla Scoop Chips: Get the scoops so you can easily fill them. You can also stuff phyllo dough shells, wonton cups, or halved jalapenos as an alternative to tortilla chips, if you want another cup option.
- Jalapeno Peppers: Grab firm, bright green peppers with smooth skin. Make sure to remove the ribs and thoroughly de-seed to tame the heat (unless you prefer super spicy)!
- Tip: Wear plastic gloves and avoid touching your face when cutting the jalapenos and removing the seeds. If the juices get on your hands, rub them with olive oil, and wash with warm soapy water.
- Cream Cheese: You can use regular, low fat, and any variety (including neufchatel cheese). You’ll need to set it out to soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: You can also use Pepper Jack, Parmesan, Colby Jack, medium cheddar, Mexican blend, or any other shredded cheese you love. Pepperjack, sharp cheddar, medium cheddar, Mexican 4-cheese, and Colby Jack are all great options.
- Garlic Powder
- Bacon: My preference is always thick cut! Make sure to cook it until it’s really crispy and then chop into tiny pieces.
- Green Onions: Save the scallions for garnishing.
- Optional (not GF): Top your bites with panko breadcrumbs before frying for an extra crunch.
Why We Love Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
- Highly Snackable: A bite-size appetizer that is easy to pass by and grab. Prefer a dip? You can bake any of the leftover filling in a dish and serve with tortilla chips.
- Prep Ahead of Time: You can prep these in 10 minutes! And you can prepare the filling up to 3 days ahead of time and store in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
- Gluten-Free: Always looking for gluten-free snacks that don’t taste gluten-free.
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
This is the countertop smart oven I own and absolutely love. It offers 13 cooking functions (including roast, toast, air fry, dehydrate, reheat, etc.), extra large capacity (fits a 9×13 inch pan and 12 cup muffin trays), and the super convection setting reduces cook time by 30%! I cook everything in this and rarely use my big oven for anything now!
Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
Crunchy tortilla chips loaded with melted cheeses, crispy thick-cut bacon, spicy jalapenos, and air-fried to perfection, be prepared for these Crunchy tortilla chips loaded with melted cheeses, crispy thick-cut bacon, spicy jalapenos, and air-fried to perfection, be prepared for these Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers to disappear fast!
Ingredients
- 40 tortilla scoop chips
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 jalapeño peppers, de-seeded, ribs removed, diced finely
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except the tortilla chips) together until well combined.
- Scoop mixture into tortilla chips and add to a baking sheet.
- Cook in air fryer at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Notes
- Tortilla Scoop Chips: Get the scoops so you can easily fill them. You can also stuff phyllo dough shells, wonton cups, or halved jalapenos as an alternative to tortilla chips, if you want another cup option.
- Jalapeno Peppers: Grab firm, bright green peppers with smooth skin. Make sure to remove the ribs and thoroughly de-seed to tame the heat (unless you prefer super spicy)! Tip: Wear plastic gloves and avoid touching your face when cutting the jalapenos and removing the seeds. If the juices get on your hands, rub them with olive oil, and wash with warm soapy water.
- Cream Cheese: You can use regular, low fat, and any variety (including neufchatel cheese). You’ll need to set it out to soften at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: You can also use Pepper Jack, Parmesan, Colby Jack, medium cheddar, Mexican blend, or any other shredded cheese you love. Pepperjack, sharp cheddar, medium cheddar, Mexican 4-cheese, and Colby Jack are all great options.
- Garlic Powder
- Bacon: My preference is always thick cut! Make sure to cook it until it’s really crispy and then chop into tiny pieces.
- Green Onions: Save the scallions for garnishing.
- Optional (not GF): Top your bites with panko breadcrumbs before frying for an extra crunch.
