Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
Crispy on the outside and warm, cheesy, and gooey on the inside. These easy Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are the ultimate party snack, ready in just 25 minutes with absolutely no deep frying!
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 jalapeño peppers small/medium, split in half lengthwise, seeds out
- 4 strips bacon cooked fully and cooled down
- 3 ounces light cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup cheddar or pepper Jack cheese freshly shredded
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Crispy Topping
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1.5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil use more if crumbs look dry
- nonstick cooking spray as needed
Instructions
- Wash and dry the jalapeños. Slice them right down the middle, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and the white inside parts. (I highly suggest wearing kitchen gloves for this step!)
- Take your cooked, cooled bacon and chop it up into tiny pieces. Save a handful of these bits for later to garnish. Toss the rest of the bacon into a mixing bowl.
- Make sure your cream cheese is soft, then drop it into the bowl with the bacon. Add the shredded cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Mix it all up with a spatula until perfectly even.
- Use a small spoon to scoop up the cheese mix and push it gently into the hollowed-out pepper halves. Place your stuffed peppers on a plate.
- Put your panko breadcrumbs in a wide dish. Pour the olive oil right over the crumbs and mix it up so every single crumb gets a little oil. Sprinkle this mix heavily over your stuffed peppers.
- Turn your air fryer on to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the peppers in the basket in one flat layer. Spray the tops lightly with your nonstick spray and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and golden brown.
- Let them sit for about five minutes before eating so the cheese can firm up just a bit. Top with the reserved bacon bits and serve!
Notes
Make Ahead: You can stuff the peppers a whole day early. Keep them in the fridge in a sealed container. Hold off on adding the oiled panko breadcrumbs until right before you cook them to keep the crunch perfectly fresh.
Reheating: Toss leftovers back in the air fryer at 350 degrees for a few minutes. Do not use the microwave, or they will become soggy.