Air Fryer Recipe
Jalapeño poppers
Jalapeño poppers are a proper party favourite: crisp on the outside, creamy in the middle, and made a little quicker and lighter in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 12 fresh jalapeños
- 225 grams of cream cheese, softened
- 150 grams of cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 100 grams of breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Optional: diced bacon or chorizo
Method
- Wash the jalapeños and pat them dry. Slice each one in half lengthways, then remove the seeds and membranes if you like.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. If using, add the cooked diced bacon or chorizo.
- Spoon the cheese mixture into each jalapeño half, pressing it in firmly.
- Put the breadcrumbs and olive oil in a shallow dish and mix together. Roll each stuffed jalapeño in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for about 5 minutes.
- Arrange the jalapeño poppers in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- Take them out of the air fryer and leave to cool for a couple of minutes. Serve warm with sour cream or your favourite dipping sauce.
Why this works in an air fryer
A hot air fryer drives off surface moisture from the jalapeño and oiled crumbs, so the coating browns before the cheese fully escapes. Soft cream cheese binds the grated cheddar, while the pepper shell acts as a small heat shield, letting the filling melt as the crumb layer crisps.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding about 10–12 halves in one layer, so cook the 24 halves in two batches. In a single-drawer fryer, keep the poppers around the hotter outer edge and rotate halfway; in a dual-zone model, split evenly between drawers and expect 1–2 minutes longer if both drawers are full.
Common pitfalls
- Cheese is leaking and smoking before the crumbs are golden: the poppers are overfilled or tilted; scrape the filling level with the cut edge and sit them flat, using a little crumpled foil as a support if needed.
- Breadcrumbs look dusty and pale at minute 8: there is not enough oil on the crumb surface; mist or brush lightly with oil and cook for another 2–3 minutes at 200°C.
- Pepper skins are wrinkled but the underside is soggy: the basket is crowded or lined with solid parchment; leave space between halves and use perforated parchment only if the filling is prone to dripping.
- Filling tastes sharp and raw-garlicky after cooking: the garlic pieces are too large for the short air-fryer time; mince very finely, use garlic granules, or briefly soften the garlic before mixing.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a rougher, crunchier shell; it browns a little faster, so check from 7 minutes.
- Swap half the cheddar for mozzarella for a stretchier filling; it melts more fluidly, so avoid overfilling and let the poppers stand for 3 minutes before serving.
- Use mini sweet peppers for a milder version; they contain more water than jalapeños, so pat the cut sides dry well and allow an extra minute if the skins are thick.
- Add cooked diced bacon or chorizo for a smokier, saltier filling; keep the pieces small so they do not tear the cheese cap or prevent the breadcrumbs from sticking.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 4–6 minutes until the crumbs re-crisp and the centre is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
