Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 large jalapenos
12 pieces bacon
2 Tablespoons Sweet Rub
1/2 cup Kansas City BBQ Sauce

Jalapeno Popper Filling:
4 oz cream cheese softened
4 oz medium cheddar cheese shredded
1 Tablespoon Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub link in recipe notes

Directions

Preheat your smoker (or oven). Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F for indirect heat with mild wood like apple or hickory. You can also bake these in the oven at the same temperature.

Prepare your poppers by slicing the tops off of the jalapenos, cutting them in half, and scraping out the ribs and seeds inside of the poppers.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and 1 Tablespoon of sweet rub. Use the back of the spoon to press the filling mixture into each half of the cleaned out peppers and then press the pepper halves back together.

On a large cutting board, slice the chicken breasts open, without slicing all of the way through the breasts. Set one filled popper inside of each chicken breast and fold them closed.

Wrap each chicken breast with about 3 slices of bacon. Secure the bacon ends with toothpicks, if necessary. Season the stuffed chicken on all sides with more of the sweet rub.

Place the chicken breasts on the smoker, close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. This process usually takes an hour and a half. Baste the chicken liberally with BBQ sauce, close the lid, and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board or serving platter and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.