Jump to RecipeThis party appetizer is always big hit on game day! Jalapeño poppers are savory, cheesy, melty and crunchy! Not too spicy so even the youngest fans can enjoy, these Jalapeño poppers are baked with a Panko breadcrumb crust and wrapped in a crispy layer of prosciutto!
Don’t let the word “Jalapeño”scare you away! These melty, cheesy little bites are far from spicy! Jalapeño’s spice comes from their seeds and the membrane (the soft white part on the inside). By slicing in half and removing those parts, you are left with a delicious bright and fresh pepper which is able to be enjoyed by everyone and anyone, not just those blessed with the ability to endure spicy foods!
I recently made these little babies for a SUPER BOWL party and the crowd loved them!
There are a lot of Jalapeño Popper recipes out there circulating the Internet. Many of them you will find are wrapped in bacon. Sounds good right, but I can tell you from experience that I’m not sold on the bacon idea. It just doesn’t get crispy enough and can end up making your Jalapeño Popper bites too chewy and dense.
A superior choice by far is using Prosciutto! Savory, salty, crispy, crunchy, thinly sliced little layers of HEAVEN! Yeah, I’m a big Prosciutto fan! No surprise there!
The Prosciutto will crisp perfectly when baked around the Jalapeño Poppers in the oven. Be sure to buy an IMPORTED brand like Di Parma or San Danielle. Domestic Prosciutto may be cheaper, but trust me.. it doesn’t even taste close to the real deal. Just Don’t! Trust me!
How to Make Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Start by slicing Jalapeños in half and remove the inner membrane and seeds. Please note, that you should beware when working with Jalapeños, or any spicy pepper, that you really need to be conscious about where you put your hands after deseeding. Keep those hands far away from from your face and EYES. The spicy residue from the seeds can stick to your hands even after washing and it can REALLY BURN! If you want to be extra safe, consider wearing latex gloves while removing the seeds from the Jalapeños.
Set the pepper boats aside and assemble to filling. You will need a block of softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chopped chives, minced garlic, and ground white pepper. Use a fork or spatula to mix the ingredients together.
Place the crunchy Panko breadcrumbs on a plate. Just set this aside for now.
Working with one pepper half at a time, spoon about 1 tbsp of filling into the Jalapeno and use your fingers to spread into even layer.
Then place the stuffed pepper, filling side down, into the panko breadcrumbs, which will easily stick to the filling.
Next take a slice of prosciutto and wrap it around the filled jalapeño. If the slices are too small to wrap all the way around you can also just lay the prosciutto on top.
As you work through all the peppers, repeating that stuffing process, arrange them onto a lightly oiled or parchment lined baking sheet.
Pop the Poppers in a preheated 400 degree oven bake for 30-35 minutes or until Jalapeños are soft and the prosciutto is crispy.
I know it’s hard, but give them a minute or two before diving in! They sure are hot straight out of the oven!
But just look at the gooey cheesy, filling!! THESE ARE SO GOOD!!!!
Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers, ya’ll!!
Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 Jalapeños halved and seeded
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chives chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ⅓ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 24 slices Prosciutto Imported
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° and lightly oil or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice Jalapeños in half and remove membrane and seeds.
- Assemble cheese filling by combining: cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chives, garlic, and ground white pepper. Use a fork to mix throughly.
- Place panko breadcrumbs on plate and set aside.
- Fill each Jalapeño half with about 1 tbsp of filling, use fingers to spread into even layer. Place filling side down into the panko breadcrumbs to coat the cream cheese filling then wrap slice of prosciutto around the filled jalapeño. Arrange on prepared baking sheet and REPEAT.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until Jalapeños are soft and the prosciutto is crispy.
