Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins

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Jalapeno poppers and loaded potato skins combine to the most epic game day appetizer you’ve ever seen – Loaded Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins!! Baby red potato skins piled high with a creamy, cheesy, spicy filling then topped with MORE cheese, crispy crumbled bacon and green onions!

Why you’re going to love these jalapeno popper potato skins:

• The flavors are insanely delicious. Is it a jalapeno popper? Is it a potato skin? Your mouth won’t know what hit it! All it will know is that it wants more.
• It’s the perfect hand-held game day appetizer. No fork and knife required. You actually only need one hand to shovel these babies into your pie hole. Which means your other hand is free to hold a cold beer!
• The ingredient list is short and sweet. Just 8 ingredients are needed to make this crowd pleasing hors d’oeuvre. And while I wouldn’t necessarily classify these as “healthy” they are made with REAL ingredients – potatoes, cheese, jalapenos, bacon – which means you can feel good about enjoying more than 1 or 2!

How to make loaded potato skins:

Poke each potato 2-3 times with a fork. Place potatoes in a large white bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat potatoes evenly.

Transfer them to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tender.

Add sharp cheddar, cream cheese, diced jalapeno, bacon and green onion along with a large pinch of salt and pepper to a small bowl.

Stir until well combined and set aside.

Let potatoes cool for a few minutes until you can handle them. Then slice them in half

Use a melon baller or 1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop to remove the flesh of the potato, leaving about a 1/4-1/2 inch or so around the edge.

Brush insides of the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 1-2 minutes.

Flip potatoes. Brush the skin with olive oil. Broil for 1-2 minutes.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop about a tablespoon of filling into the center of each potato.

Top filling with remaining sharp cheddar and divide bacon evenly between potato skins. Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Garnish with sliced green onion and sour cream and enjoy!

Tips for making the best jalapeno popper potato skins:

• Find potatoes that are all the same size. I went for small to medium potatoes so they weren’t quite bite size jalapeno popper potato skins, but pretty close. This will ensure that all the potatoes bake the same and you won’t have any that end up too overcooked or raw.
• A melon baller or cookie scoop is ideal for getting the flesh out of the potato AND for filling it. A melon baller will give you more control when you’re removing the center of the potato. And a cookie scoop with ensure that each potato is filled with a uniform amount of cream cheese filling.
• Adjust the heat level by adding more or less diced jalapenos. I like to use the HOT canned diced jalapenos for this recipe. I usually add 4 tablespoons, but that might be way too hot for you. Start with 1-2 tablespoons and taste the filling. Add more as needed. I’ve also seen MILD canned diced jalapenos if you really have an aversion to heat!

Frequently asked questions:

• What should I do with all the flesh I scoop out of the potatoes?
  • I know it’s weird to call the inside of the potato “flesh” and I apologize, but that is literally what it’s called. You could call it potato guts if you prefer. But let’s move on…
  • Use the leftover potato flesh to make my Garlic Mashed Potatoes! I would scale back the recipe so you’re using about 1/4 of the ingredients listed in that recipe.
• Can I use other potatoes besides baby reds?
  • Of course! Just keep in mind that their cook time will be different if the potatoes are larger or a different kind.
  • This recipe was written for hand held, nearly bite size jalapeno popper potato skins, so using a larger potato will mean that you’re going to need to bake it for longer. The filling ratio may be a bit off also because larger potatoes will need more filling in them.
  • In short, use other potatoes at your discretion. If you’re up for experimenting, try some Yukon golds or Russets. If you’re more of a rule follower, then look for baby reds and follow the recipe as written!
• Can I make these jalapeno popper potato skins ahead of time?
  • Yes! Follow the recipe directions but just before baking the potato skins for the final 6-8 minutes, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.
  • When you’r ready to bake, transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and follow instructions below for baking but plan to add an extra 5-10 minutes. Bake until the potato skins are heated through. Garnish with sour cream and green onion and enjoy!

If you enjoyed these little jalapeno popper bites, you’re going to love these appetizers:

• Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip
• Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Bread Dip
• Loaded Baked Potato Dip
• Caramelized Onion & Blue Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts
• Easy Baked Brie Appetizer
• Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese Dip

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