Jalapeno Popper Chicken Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 3 medium jalapeno peppers - stemmed, seeded, and minced
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
- 1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
- 1 (8 ounce) package shredded pepper Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup crushed buttery round crackers
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
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Instructions
- Combine chicken breasts, chicken broth, salt, pepper, onion flakes, oregano, and garlic for shredded chicken in a medium slow cooker, making sure chicken is completely covered by broth.
- Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, on Low for 5 to 6 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
- Thirty minutes before chicken is finished cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While ziti is cooking, prepare filling: fry bacon, jalapenos, and onion in a small skillet over medium-high heat until onions are tender and bacon is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small mixing bowl with cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, and mayonnaise; mix until well combined.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and place into a large bowl; use 2 forks to shred chicken into small pieces. Add cooked ziti and Alfredo sauce; mix well.
- Pour 1/2 of the chicken-ziti mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle pepper Jack cheese in an even layer over top. Spread jalapeno popper filling evenly across the dish. Pour remaining chicken-ziti mixture into the dish, and sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over top.
- Mix crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, and butter for topping together in a small bowl; sprinkle over the pasta dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Source
Original recipe: View Original