Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins

The trend of everything jalapeno popper continues with these delectable Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins. Delicious potatoes are filled with cheese, two types of jalapenos, and topped with cool sour cream.

I love anything spicy; in fact, if it doesn’t force me to break a sweat, it isn’t hot enough. It’s a problem, I know. My next creation was a mashup of two favorite snacks: jalapeno poppers and the equally beloved potato skins.

I took the rich cream cheese and fresh jalapenos from this baked jalapeno popper recipe. The gooey cheddar and pepper jack, as well as the starchy potatoes, came from the skins. A few flairs here and there, plus a good helping of bacon and you have the ultimate snack or appetizer.

Seriously, it is amazing-ness on a plate. To really send it over the edge, I added pickled jalapenos and some cool sour cream. My taste buds are revving up just thinking about it.

Did you know that potato skins have a highly contested origin story? Three different restaurants lay claim to creating this heavenly wonder back in the 70s. What a groovy time and my goodness am I thankful for the revelation now.

The jalapeno popper’s creation is a little harder to pin down. Theories suggest it started in the great state of Texas and may have been inspired by one of my favorite dishes, chile rellenos. Whoever dreamed them up, is a winner in my book.

If you really want to kick up the heat, you can change the chile slices you put on top of the potatoes. A serrano or a fresno chile would give great color and that vegetal spiciness you are looking for.

You can make these Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins on average size potatoes or baby red potatoes. For parties, I prefer baby reds because the size is perfect. They make it into a one-bite appetizer that doesn’t require any utensils or a plate.

For those of you with vegetarian friends or family members, forgo the bacon. If you don’t have time to crisp the bacon off, the trusty variety in the bottle would work fine. That said, I prefer to do this myself. It gives me control over the crispiness.

Word to the wise, be ready with napkins and the second batch of these in the oven. They go quickly and people will be chomping at the bit for another round.

Fabulous party appetizers!

• Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
• Buffalo Chicken Nachos
• Turkey Club Sandwich Pinwheels
• Tater Tot Nachos
• Cocktail Meatballs
• Southern Salmon Croquettes
• Mexican Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip

Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins

4 from 3 votes

Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins are bite-sized potatoes filled with 3 types of cheese, fresh jalapenos, bacon and cooled off with sour cream. Perfect for a snack or party appetizer! 

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Servings: 30

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Equipment

• Potato Scrubber
• Food Gloves

Ingredients

• 2 pounds baby red potatoes
• 1/2 cup cream cheese , softened
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos , minced
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese , finely shredded and divided
• 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese , finely shredded and divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 jalapenos , sliced
• 1/2 cup sour cream , for garnish
• 2 tablespoons bacon , cooked and crumbled

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and dry potatoes.
• Bake for 15-20  minutes, or until soft when pricked with a fork. Allow to cool so they are easier to handle.
• Cut in half and spoon our the center, leaving a few millimeters around the edges to still have some potato.
• In a mixing bowl, blend softened cream cheese and hot sauce until smooth. Add  2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons pepper jack cheese, minced pickled jalapenos and kosher salt. Mix well. 
• Spoon cheese mixture into each potato skin. Divide remaining shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese on the tops of each potato. 
• Reduce temperture to 350 degrees. bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
• Top with sour cream, a slice of jalapeno and crumbled bacon. Serve hot. 
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 55 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 8 mg, Sodium: 57 mg, Potassium: 142 mg, Vitamin A: 100 IU, Vitamin C: 7.2 mg, Calcium: 25 mg, Iron: 0.3 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 55

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: jalapeno poppers, potato skins

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