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Cheesy Jalapeño Ranch Chicken Poppers

Crispy, cheesy chicken bites stuffed with jalapeños and ranch seasoning, served with a creamy ranch dip for ultimate flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Poppers
  • 2 large chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 pieces jalapeños finely diced, seeds optional
  • 1 tsp ranch seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
Ranch Dip
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp ranch seasoning
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch salt and pepper

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Skillet
  • Whisk
  • Paper towels

Method
 

  1. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and pat dry.
  2. In a bowl, mix shredded cheddar, diced jalapeños, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Optionally, stuff cheese-jalapeño mixture into chicken cubes for extra gooeyness.
  4. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat with panko breadcrumbs.
  5. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 4–5 minutes per side.
  6. Drain chicken on paper towels.
  7. For the dip, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch seasoning, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Chill until serving.
  8. Serve chicken poppers with ranch dip and garnish with sliced jalapeños or parsley.

Notes

For extra spice, keep jalapeño seeds. Poppers can be baked or air-fried as alternatives.