Updated September 18, 2026: revised the oven method below so the bacon crisps instead of steaming.
Get your tastebuds ready for a Bacon BBQ Chicken Bombs, it has chicken, cheese, bbq sauce, bacon and jalapeno…and yes, it’s as good as you are dreaming it is!
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“It’s football day and this recipe has been our go to for years. These bombs are the bomb!” wrote Debby, who gives it five stars.
★★★★★ “Have been making these for many years. Always a hit!” wrote Kimberly, who gives it five stars.
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BBQs. I mean, barbecues. One of summer’s most essential meals.
We all love ’em and need ’em. We all inhale roughly a ton of smokin’ hot chicken/meat/veggies (sometimes skewered all together) during these warm, ripe months that are ahead of us.
So head out to that grill of yours, fire it up and get your tastebuds ready for a BBQ Chicken Bombs recipe that you’ll want time and time again. Yes, it has chicken, cheese, bbq sauce, bacon and jalapeno…and yes, it’s as good as you are dreaming it is!
They’d be great for a kids’ party, but grown-ups will love them, too. Put out a plate on your 4th of July party, or during a football game or TV marathon and watch them disappear. Just bring a big stack of napkins to manage the sticky fingers!
Even though Fourth of July is a big grilling holiday, and Summer means grilling, that doesn’t mean that everyone: has a grill, wants to grill or enjoys sweating, coughing and inhaling grill smoke. For all of them outhere here is the recipe for BBQ Chicken Bombs made right in the comfort of your own kitchen too. I know you’ll love it!
Ways Readers Have Changed This Recipe
Reader tip: pre bake the bacon
Jaclyn Janssen bakes her bacon for 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees before wrapping it around the chicken bombs, which she says gives the bacon a perfect crisp.
Reader tip: bake first, then finish on the grill
Eddie bakes his in the oven first, then finishes them on the grill to get the bacon crispy.
Reader tip: swap in chicken thighs
Allan made these with boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts and said they turned out great, worth trying if you prefer dark meat.
If you like these, our Bacon BBQ Chicken Kabobs use a similar bacon and paprika flavor on the grill, worth putting on the same platter.
Bacon BBQ Chicken Bombs
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 10 fillets
- 5 jalapenos de-seeded, sliced in half lengthwise
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 20 slices bacon
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Oh my lawd,
On my way to the grocery store shortly.
Will update.
Thx!!!
If I use toothpicks to hold it all together, could I make these in slow cooker for potluck gatherings?
These are really meant for the oven since you need that direct heat to crisp up the bacon, and a slow cooker will cook the chicken through but the bacon will stay soft and pale, not crispy. If you’re prepping for a party, you can assemble them ahead, refrigerate, then bake right before guests arrive.
Can I have more clarification on cutting in half lengthways, or ‘filleting’ the chicken breast? Should I end up with full size breasts, but half the thickness, or half size breasts at full thickness (before pounding)?
“Butterflying” means slicing the whole chicken breast horizontally almost all the way through and opening it up like a book, so you end up with one thin, wide piece instead of a thick one. That’s what lets you roll it around the filling.
Why not just put them on a wire rack on cookie sheet. Save time and no second pan to wash!
I love this type of chicken bomb. i have a friend who arrange this type of food and i love her. thanks
Tried this and it was the bomb! Lol it really was good, the whole family enjoyed it.
I love your recipes.
This looks really good – I have a couple of ??’s One can i make this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs? Two can I assemble the bombs the day before – leaving off the barbecue sauce until when I’m ready to bake and serve:?
I would make these like I do my Bosetas Calientes “Hot Kisses” which are shrimp stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon.
I first bake them in the oven and then finish on the grill to get the bacon crispy.
This recipe is simple and amazing!!
I grilled it over hickory charcol and used hickory chips to smoke it
I made these last night for dinner along with heat honey baked beans and corn on the cob. Let’s just say with two boys, one very picky-Nothing was left! Thanks for the time and attention to some really great, simple recipes for a mom on the go. Tonight….YOUR Garlic Parmesan Chicken.
This had amazing taste and was easy to make. The whole family enjoyed. Thank you
Hi,
I was wondering if you had any nutritional information? Just wondering specifically how many net carbs? Also, what kind of bbq sauce did you use? Thanks!
Cooked per recipe bacon was raw ?
That usually happens when the bombs are too crowded on the pan or the oven runs a bit cool. Try spacing them out with room around each one, and if the bacon still isn’t crisping by the time the chicken’s done, pop them under the broiler for the last two or three minutes to finish it off.
Didn’t this page had a link for bbq sauce recipe and rubs?? Can’t find it anymore 🙁
Made these using boneless chicken thighs, great
My entire family LOVES this recipe! I always bake the bacon for about 8-10 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees (still flexible and easy to wrap) before hand prior to wrapping the chicken bombs. This allows the bacon to have the perfect crisp!
I’m wondering if you can make these up ahead of time and freeze them. Then all you’d have to do is cook them whenever you wanted them.
Yes, you can assemble these completely and freeze them uncooked. Lay them on a tray until solid, then move them to a freezer bag. When you are ready to cook, bake straight from frozen, just add ten to fifteen extra minutes and check that the chicken reaches 165 degrees before serving.
It’s football day and this recipe has been our go to for years. These bombs are the bomb!
My husband and I have made this recipe for the past 4 years and it is one of our favorites
Have been making these for many years. Always a hit!