Skinny Jalapeño Poppers

You know what should be a thing, but really isn’t it a thing? Baseball food. Why is this not a thing? I don’t mean like classic hot dogs and cracker jacks, I mean like party food! And baseball has a LOT more games than football and a long baseball season means way more opportunities to have game day parties! And what game is complete without lots of good eats?!

Skinny Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño Poppers are one of my favorite party foods. I love the heat of the peppers paired with the creamy and cheesy filling. But, the traditional version isn’t very healthy, so I’ve lightened them up! For the filling, we use lower fat cream cheese and instead of dredging and frying, these babies are topped with crispy panko bread crumbs and baked! Oh, and I topped them with some crumbled bacon for good measure! The peppers are nice and tender and you still get that crispy bite with the panko topping. I seriously prefer this lighter version over the regular one!

These poppers are perfect for any game, any sport, heck, any party!

Skinny Jalapeño Poppers

Skinny Jalapeno Poppers
Yield: about 18 poppers

Skinny Jalapeño Poppers

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

The classic Jalapeno Popper gets a lower-fat makeover with lightened up filling and is baked instead of fried!

Ingredients

  • 8-10 jalapeño peppers, sliced lengthwise and seeds removed*
  • 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
  • 8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened (or low-fat cream cheese)
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
  • dash salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the peppers on the baking sheet.
  2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the Neufchâtel cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, worchestershire, and the salt and pepper until well-combined. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture into each pepper half. Sprinkle some of the panko on top of each pepper.
  3. Spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle some of the bacon on top of each popper. Serve warm.

Notes

Please use caution when sliced and seeding the peppers. I recommend wearing disposable gloves if possible. Do not touch your eyes or skin with your hands while working with the peppers. Wash your hands with soap and warm water as soon as you are done.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Serving Size:

1 popper

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g