Chicken and Jalapeño Popper Casserole

Ingredients:

• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts, weighing 170g each.
• 4 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
• 6 thick slices of bacon
• 220 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 0.5 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 0.5 cup crispy fried jalapeños
• 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp salted butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Place the chicken breast fillets on one half of the baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, and a little salt and black pepper. Place the jalapeños on the other half of the same baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. On a second baking sheet, arrange the bacon slices in a single layer. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is crispy, about 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, cheddar, sour cream, chicken broth, and paprika in a bowl.
5. Transfer the bacon and chicken to a cutting board. Dice the chicken and bacon. Add all of the diced chicken to the cream cheese mixture along with half of the chopped bacon. Toss to combine.
6. Transfer half of the chicken mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange half of the roasted jalapeños on top of the chicken mixture. Top with the remaining chicken mixture, then the remaining roasted jalapeños.
7. In a separate bowl, combine the deep-fried jalapeños, breadcrumbs and the remaining bacon. Stir in the melted butter until smooth. Sprinkle the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until golden brown, 25–27 minutes.