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Jalapeño Poppers

Name: Jalapeño Poppers
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 12 Large jalapeño chillies; 0.5 tsp Cumin; 0.5 tsp Garlic powder; 0.5 tsp Salt; 500 ml Vegetable oil for frying; 200 g Cream cheese; 150 g Mexican chorizo; 80 g Plain flour; 150 g Breadcrumbs; 0.5 tsp Chilli powder; 2 Beaten eggs; 100 g Grated cheddar cheese

45 min (25 prep + 20 cook) Medium 4 servings Tex-Mex

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 25 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Jalapeños filled with cream cheese and chorizo, breaded and fried.

About this recipe

Jalapeño chillies filled with cream cheese and chorizo, coated in spiced breadcrumbs and fried or baked until golden. The most addictive Tex-Mex starter, perfect for parties and gatherings.

History & Origin

Jalapeño Poppers are possibly the most recognisable and celebrated Tex-Mex appetiser in the world, a mouthful that perfectly captures the philosophy of this cuisine: bold flavour, contrasting textures and chilli heat as the star. Their origins are deeply rooted in the bar and casual restaurant culture of the American Southwest of the 1970s and 1980s, though the earliest documented references appear in Texas during the 1950s-1960s. The key innovation was filling the jalapeño with cream cheese - an ingredient that does not exist in traditional Mexican cookery - creating the perfect contrast between the chilli heat and the cool creaminess of the filling. When TGI Fridays included them on their national menu in 1992, Jalapeño Poppers became a global gastronomic phenomenon. The artisanal Tex-Mex version, however, is infinitely superior to the commercial one: jalapeños are filled with a mixture of cream cheese, browned Mexican chorizo, chives and spices, then coated in a crunchy breadcrumb coating with cumin and garlic. The option of baking them rather than frying gained popularity with the trend for lighter cooking without sacrificing pleasure.

Estimated cost

£7.75

Total cost

£1.94

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

280

Calories

10g

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

520mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut the jalapeños in half lengthways. Using a small spoon, remove the seeds and membranes. To reduce the heat, soak the jalapeños in cold salted water for 30 minutes. Use latex gloves when handling jalapeños to avoid eye irritation.
2
Fry the crumbled chorizo until golden and crispy. Drain off the fat and leave to cool. Mix with the cream cheese, the grated cheddar, the chives and the garlic powder until smooth and well combined.
3
Fill each jalapeño half with a generous teaspoonful of the cheese mixture, pressing lightly so it is compact and level with the edge.
4
Set up three bowls: seasoned plain flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs mixed with cumin, garlic powder and chilli powder. Coat each filled jalapeño by dipping in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. For a double coating: repeat the egg and breadcrumb step for a thicker, crunchier layer.
5
To fry: heat oil to 180°C and fry the poppers for 3-4 minutes until golden. To bake: place on a greased baking tray at 220°C for 20 minutes until golden.
6
Serve immediately with ranch dip, soured cream and chives, or guacamole. They are best eaten straight away whilst the cheese is still melted.