Jalapeno Popper Chicken Baked Ziti Food

BACON-WRAPPED JALAPEñO POPPER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wear gloves to protect your hands and use a small paring knife to cut the stem-end off the jalapeño; you should see the white ribs attached to the walls of the jalapeño. Use the paring knife to remove the ribs from the walls. Make a cut down the length of the jalapeño from the top to the tip. Carefully, without breaking the jalapeño in half, scrape out the ribs and seeds. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl, add 3 tablespoons water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the jalapeños turn olive green and are lightly softened but are still firm and hold their shape, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool.
• Stuff each cooled jalapeño with a piece of cream cheese; squeeze the walls around the cream cheese to force out any air pockets and to seal the jalapeño walls together.
• Mix together the cumin, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Pound the chicken lengthwise down the breast to make a rectangular 1/4-inch-thick cutlet. Sprinkle with a quarter of the seasoned salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken and seasoned salt.
• With one of the narrow ends of the chicken facing you, lay a piece of Colby Jack cheese at the bottom of the cutlet. Place 1 stuffed jalapeño crosswise on top of the cheese about 2 inches from the bottom. Tightly roll up the chicken and the cheese around the jalapeño, folding in the sides as you roll. Repeat with the remaining chicken and jalapeños.
• Lay 5 strips of bacon on a clean work surface so that the strips are slightly overlapping (about 1/4-inch) and are wide enough to completely cover a chicken roll. Place 1 chicken roll at the bottom of the bacon blanket. Wrap the bacon tightly over the chicken roll. Repeat with the remaining bacon and chicken rolls.
• Prepare a grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high heat.
• Place the chicken rolls, bacon seam-side down, on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook until the bacon is beginning to brown and the cheese is beginning to melt and ooze from the sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken rolls to the hot side of the grill and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Combine chicken breasts, chicken broth, salt, pepper, onion flakes, oregano, and garlic for shredded chicken in a medium slow cooker, making sure chicken is completely covered by broth.
• Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, on Low for 5 to 6 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
• Thirty minutes before chicken is finished cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• While ziti is cooking, prepare filling: fry bacon, jalapenos, and onion in a small skillet over medium-high heat until onions are tender and bacon is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small mixing bowl with cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, and mayonnaise; mix until well combined.
• Remove chicken from the slow cooker and place into a large bowl; use 2 forks to shred chicken into small pieces. Add cooked ziti and Alfredo sauce; mix well.
• Pour 1/2 of the chicken-ziti mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle pepper Jack cheese in an even layer over top. Spread jalapeno popper filling evenly across the dish. Pour remaining chicken-ziti mixture into the dish, and sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over top.
• Mix crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, and butter for topping together in a small bowl; sprinkle over the pasta dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.