With Superbowl around the corner, these lightened up Jalapeño Poppers will make the perfect party appetizer. Jalapeño peppers stuffed with cheese, coated with seasoned panko, then baked not fried. You won’t miss the full fat version!
I love jalapeno poppers so much, I even created these Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers and this Stuffed Jalepeno Popper Chicken!
This was another recipe request from one of my wonderful readers! You guys rock. I will never run out of ideas thanks to all your requests, just hope I can keep up with all of them.
One important note when making these, wear gloves while handling the peppers. There is nothing worse than touching your eye or lip with jalapeño fingers, trust me, I’ve done it! Also if you have little kids, be careful to discard all the seeds if any fall on the floor. My one year old has a gift for finding every speck on the floor and putting it in her mouth.
These jalapeno poppers can be made ahead of time, then baked when ready to serve. Enjoy!
Skinny Baked Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 jalapeño peppers, sliced in half lengthwise
- 4.5 oz light cream cheese
- 5 medium scallions, green part only, sliced
- 2 oz shredded low fat sharp cheddar, I used Cabot 50%
- 1/2 cup egg beaters or egg whites, beaten
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs*
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp chili powder
- salt and fresh pepper
- spray oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Wearing rubber gloves, cut peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and membrane.
- Combine cream cheese, cheddar and scallions in a medium bowl.
- Combine panko, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in another bowl.
- Fill peppers with cheese filling with a small spoon or spatula.
- Dip peppers in egg beaters.
- Place pepper in panko mixture, using a spoon to make sure all the seasoning doesn't fall to the bottom of the bowl.
- Spray a baking pan with oil spray. (I lined my pan with parchment for easier cleanup)
- Lightly spray the peppers with a little more oil spray.
- Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until golden and cheese oozes out. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serve hot.
- *I used 1/4 cup more panko to make it easier to coat, then I was left with 1/4 cup which was tossed and not calculated in the nutritional info.
Love love love!!! The Panko adds some crunch that you’ll never find on any other poppers. Delicious
I’ve made these three times in the past mont. I mix some of thhe jalapeno seeds into the cheese mixture for extra spice. Easy to do and I can even use gluten free panko for familyy members with celiac. We love this recipe!
A+
I have made these for years and years, and have passed the recipe on to multiple people who also make this recipe! Once I went to a party and someone I shared the recipe brought these and so did I! Lol
I wrap mine with bacon then dip in egg and bread crumbs. Omitting the need to spray with oil.
Made these a couple days ago, i should’ve bought 40 peppers, lol. My husband loved them. I turned my jalapeno over and pressed the cheese side into the bread crumb mixture, so they just covered the top – no egg beaters for me. I cooked in the Ninja Foodi air fryer for 6 minutes @ 400 degrees, came out awesome. I personally wish they were spicier, maybe something extra mixed in the cream cheese, but i may just leave some of the seeds/membranes in next time and see if that works. Served with trader joes sweet chili sauce (the asian pink sauce). They lasted as long as the time as it took to take them out of the air fryer, and wow Panko rocks!
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G !!
What a delicious recipe! I had jalapeno poppers and Googled ‘healthy jalapeno popper recipe’. So glad I stumbled upon this from SkinnyTaste! The texture and taste were delicious! Very easy to make!
The panko crumbs worked better for me, after I put them between two pieces of parchment paper and crushed them with my rolling pen. Do it in small batches so they won’t ease out of the parchment paper. Just put the crushed batch in a bowl and continue till you’ve crushed them all. Then follow the recipe.
This was great, they were crunchy, full of flavor without feeling greasy. We will make these again for sure.
which type of cream cheese should I use? the block??? thank you!!
I’ve made these babies at least five times for football parties to summer hangouts. Everyone enjoys! I have even given out the recipe.
Just tried this, so easy and so good!
Have you ever tried this in an airfryer?
Did these in the Foodi airfryer 6 minutes @ 400 degrees, i think another user did 7 minutes in their air fryer, mine would have burned, but I always decrease the time in the Foodi for air fryer recipes.
I cooked mine in my airfryer oven, they came out great! 350 degrees for 20 minutes was perfect for us.
I use fat free cream cheese and a combo of Velveeta Shreds and fat free cheddar. I dip into liquid egg whites and they turn out so rich! Love this recipe.
Can these be pre-made somehow and frozen?
These were great! I made them in batches in my air fryer. 7 minutes at 400 degrees. Will definitely make again.
I have made this recipe multiple times. It is one of our favorites. I like not feeling guilty when I eat them. We sometimes switch it up by adding a few bacon crumbles. Gina’s recipes are always delicious!
Have you tried these in the air fryer?
not yet but I am sure they would be awesome!
have you tried it with the air fryer? What setting did you put it in?
I made these tonight for the first time in a few years, I forgot how good they were! I skip the egg and just put the bread crumbs on the cream cheese. Works out great and less mess. Thanks for the recipe Gina!
Thank you for the great idea! So much easier, less calories, and still so delicious!
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How do you get the bread crumbs to stick to the notion of the poppers?!?! It seems nearly impossible 🙁
Use a fork to help!