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If you’re looking for the perfect smoky, cheesy, bacon-wrapped appetizer, look no further than these insanely delicious smoked chicken bombs! A juicy boneless chicken thigh is stuffed with a jalapeño popper filling of smoked cream cheese and cheddar, then wrapped in bacon and smoked to crispy, smoky perfection.

Chicken bombs, smoked stuffed chicken thighs, chicken poppers, or whatever you want to call them, these smoked goodies are having a major moment right now. Stuffed with an irresistible smoked cream cheese mixture and wrapped in everyone’s favorite food group (bacon), these little flavor bombs pack a serious punch.

Whether you’re grilling for a game day spread, hosting a backyard barbecue, or just need an outstanding smoked appetizer, these bacon jalapeno popper chicken bombs should be at the top of your list. The process is simple but packs in so much incredible flavor.

Let’s dive into this epic recipe for the ultimate crowd-pleasing smoked appetizer!

What are Chicken Bombs?

If you haven’t had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into a juicy chicken bomb before, let me fill you in on this magical creation. Chicken bombs (also called bacon jalapeno popper chicken bombs) take everything you love about jalapeno poppers and kick it up about twenty notches.

These little flavor grenades start with a jalapeño that gets stuffed to the brim with smoked cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and spices. But we’re not stopping there! That cheese-stuffed pepper then gets wrapped up in a juicy boneless chicken thigh and then in a crispy layer of bacon.

smoked jalapeno stuffed chicken cut in half

The entire package gets smoked until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is juicy and tender. When you bite into one of these smoked chicken bombs, you get an explosion of contrasting flavors and textures – a smoky outer crust, tender chicken, tangy cream cheese, and a jalapeño kick in every bite.

These chicken bombs make an incredible appetizer that’s sure to steal the show at any backyard cookout, but they’re also hearty and filling enough to serve as the main meal. Just add a side salad or some smoked mac and cheese, and you’ve got an epic smoked dinner.

Why You’ll LOVE this Chicken Bombs Recipe

Incredible Flavor Payoff. For a relatively simple recipe, these chicken bombs deliver incredibly complex and craveable flavors. It’s an explosion of tastes and textures in every bite that is downright addictive.
Crowd-pleasing Appetizer or Main. Whether you need a showstopping appetizer or are looking for a hearty main course, these chicken bombs deliver. They make perfect finger foods for snacking but are also substantial enough to be the star of your meal.
Lazy Cooking at Its Finest. Don’t let the incredible flavors fool you – these bombs are a pretty low-effort recipe! Besides stuffing the jalapeños and rolling the chicken thigs, there’s very little active prep required. Just let your smoker do all the hard work of infusing everything with amazing wood-fired flavor as the chicken and bacon slowly cook to perfection. Low maintenance and high rewards.
Next Level Jalapeño Poppers. If you’re a fan of classic jalapeño poppers, just wait until you try these chicken bombs. They take the core concept of smoky peppers stuffed with cream cheese but amp it up in the best ways possible with chicken, bacon, smoke, and spices galore. Poppers will never be the same after you try this meaty, cheesy, bacon-wrapped upgrade.

Ingredients for Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Thighs

This smoked chicken bomb recipe uses a handful of simple yet flavorful ingredients to create an incredible appetizer. Here’s what you’ll need to grab for this easy recipe:

ingredients for chicken bombs wrapped in bacon

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – Skinless thighs make up the juicy, tender base that gets wrapped around the cheesy jalapeño filling. Their rich flavor pairs perfectly with smoky seasonings.
Fresh Jalapeños – You’ll want smaller to medium-sized jalapeños so they can be easily stuffed and wrapped in the chicken. The jalapeños add that signature zingy kick.
Cream Cheese – A block of full-fat cream cheese gets smoked to infuse it with amazing wood-fired flavor before getting blended with cheddar to make the luscious filling.
Cheddar Cheese – Shredded cheddar melts beautifully into the cream cheese base, adding its slightly sharp tanginess to the mix.
Barbecue Seasoning – A barbecue spice blend like ‘Que That Barbecue Seasoning coats the cream cheese to season the filling from the inside out.
Texas Rub – This savory spice rub covers the outside of the stuffed, bacon-wrapped chicken bombs to create an incredible smoky crust. Get our Texas Rub recipe here!
Bacon – Go for thick-cut bacon here to wrap around the chicken bombs and create an irresistibly crispy, salty exterior.
Honey – We prefer to use Mike’s Hot Honey for this recipe – or you can use your favorite barbecue sauce for basting.

How to Make Chicken Bombs on the Grill

Prepping the Cheesy Filling

To infuse everything with incredible smoky flavor from the start, the first step is to smoke the jalapeños and cream cheese.

Place a full block of cream cheese on a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the top evenly with a barbecue spice blend like ‘Que That Barbecue Seasoning.

Arrange some whole jalapeños directly on the smoker grates as well. Smoke everything at 275°F for about 1 hour until nicely smoked.

smoking cream cheese and whole jalapenos on a pellet grill

Once smoked, transfer the cream cheese to a small bowl and combine it with shredded cheddar until fully blended into a lusciously creamy and cheesy filling. Use a rubber spatula to really work the two cheeses together into one smooth mixture.

Stuffing the Jalapeño Poppers

Let the smoked jalapeños cool slightly, then slice off the stem ends. Cut a slit lengthwise into each pepper to open it up like a little boat. Use a spoon or paring knife to scrape out all the seeds and membranes from the inside.

Your smoked peppers should look something like this:

Now take that gooey cheese mixture and either pipe or spoon it into the jalapeno peppers, mounding it up nicely. Be generous with the filling here! Once stuffed, gently press the sides of the pepper up around the filling to enclose it.

cheese stuffed smoked jalapenos on a wire cooling rack

Assembling the Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bombs

Lay a boneless, skinless chicken thigh smooth-side down on your work surface. If needed, use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound it to an even thickness. This will help each piece of chicken roll up tightly.

Place one of the stuffed jalapeño poppers towards one end of the chicken thigh. Tightly roll up the chicken around the pepper to fully enclose it.

Wrap two slices of bacon tightly around the rolled chicken bomb, securing the seam with toothpicks if needed.

Finally, season the entire thing generously with a savory Texas rub or your favorite barbecue seasoning blend.

collage showing how to wrap jalapeno stuffed chicken thighs

Smoking the Chicken Bombs

Arrange all the bacon and chicken-wrapped bombs on the smoker grates and smoke at 275°F for about 1 1/2 hours until the chicken registers 150-155°F internally. Use a wireless dual-probe meat thermometer to monitor without opening the grill.

Once the chicken hits that temp, drizzle each bomb with a bit of hot honey or barbecue sauce and sprinkle over more barbecue seasoning.

Return to the smoker for 30-40 more minutes until the chicken reaches 180°F. If using chicken breasts, cook to 165°F.

smoked chicken bombs cooking on a pellet grill

Tip: If you notice the cheese trying to ooze out, you can make little aluminum foil boats to wrap around the ends of the chicken bombs to keep everything contained.

Serving Smoked Chicken Bombs

Remove the jalapeno chicken bombs from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before digging in. This allows the cheesy filling to set up slightly. Drizzle a bit more honey or barbecue sauce over the top of the crispy bacon for an extra flavor boost.

These smoked stuffed chicken thighs are perfect for parties, barbecues, game days and more!

Serve them up with extra barbecue sauce, ranch, or bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

RECIPE TIPS:

Use shorter/smaller jalapeños, so that they are more covered when you roll up the chicken thighs, and less of your cheese mixture oozes out of your great chicken bomb.
If you notice that the cheese is starting to ooze out the sides of the chicken bombs, you can make aluminum foil “boats” to wrap around the ends of the chicken. Just fold a piece of aluminum foil so that it is about 2-3 inches wide and long enough to come up the ends of the chicken bomb. Place the chicken bomb in the folded aluminum foil strip, and fold the sides up.
You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been butterflied and pounded thin instead of using the thighs. If using breasts, cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Be sure to remove toothpicks before serving.

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smoked chicken bombs cut in half with jalapeno popper in the middle

FAQ’s about Smoked Chicken Bombs

What kind of wood chips/pellets should I use for smoking?

Any hardwood chips or pellets will work great for these smoked chicken bombs. Some tasty options are hickory, applewood, cherrywood or pecanwood.

Can I make these chicken bombs ahead of time?

You can absolutely prep the stuffed, bacon-wrapped chicken bombs ahead of time and smoke them later. Assemble them up through the wrapping step, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours before smoking. Let them come up to room temp before putting them in the smoker.

What are some dipping sauce options for serving?

While incredibly delicious on their own, these smoky chicken bombs are even better with a dipping sauce. Try serving them with ranch, bleu cheese, honey mustard or your favorite barbecue sauce for dipping and drizzling.

How spicy are these? Can I adjust the heat level?

The level of spiciness will depend on how you prep the jalapeños. For milder bombs, remove all the seeds/membranes. For an extra kick, leave some seeds intact. You can also add cayenne or chipotle powder to the cheese filling if you want them to have a really good kick!