Forget Bacon: Game-Day Jalapeño Poppers Deserve Extra Flavor With This Simple Swap

A popular Mexican chili pepper native to North and South America, green jalapeños actually have a pretty low to moderate capsaicin level, giving them a mild, fresh flavor rather than an overly spicy one. One of the most common ways to enjoy them in the United States is in the form of jalapeño poppers, a popular game-day snack that requires hollowing out the peppers and filling them with cheese and bacon. But there are some delicious variations to play with, including swapping out the bacon for an even more flavorful meat: chorizo.

We deployed this trick in our three-ingredient jalapeño poppers recipe. The seasonings in the chorizo create a much more complex flavor profile than bacon alone, and the rich, fatty texture of the meat goes perfectly with the bright, crisp pepper. The light spices also play off the jalapeños well, creating a balanced, layered party snack that isn't too overpowering.

To make chorizo jalapeño poppers, just pan-fry some ground chorizo and then mix about half of it with a package of cream cheese. Halve the peppers, fill with the cream cheese mixture, and top with the rest of the meat before baking until browned. Some cheddar cheese and Tajín are also nice additions, as is a little chopped garlic or a spice rub sprinkled on top. 

If you want to temper the heat of your jalapeño poppers, make sure to remove the inner white membrane from the peppers before cooking them. Removing chile pepper seeds alone doesn't actually temper all of the heat, which might be a big reason why so many people have a love/hate relationship with jalapeños in the first place. From there, the poppers can be amped up even further by doubling up on the meat and adding bacon to the mix too. You can either crumble some over the top of the chorizo or fully wrap each popper in a piece before baking. You can smoke the poppers if you own a smoker, which adds even more depth, or cook them on the grill. Wrapping the poppers in prosciutto is also an option, and you can swap the cream cheese for mozzarella or goat's cheese to switch things up.

If you find yourself becoming a chili fan (or already are one), there are a lot of other game-day snacks you can try out too. This creamy jalapeño popper chili is always a crowd pleaser, and a cheesy jalapeño tater tot casserole is also sure to be a hit. Here are some more jalapeño recipes that can turn up the heat on game days.