Jalapeño Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Thighs

Step 1

Clean and deseed the jalapenos then cut them into ¼ inch strips. Cut the block of cream cheese into 8 equally sized pieces. Set aside.

Step 2

Clean the fat from the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Lay them flat on the cutting board and season liberally on the inside with Jeff's original rub (purchase recipes here).

Step 3

Lay a piece of the cream cheese and 2-3 pieces of the jalapeno strips in the center of each thigh and fold over to close.

Step 4

Wrap a piece of stretched bacon around each chicken thigh to hold it closed. Place the stuffed and wrapped thighs into the holes of a muffin pan to help them hold their shape while they cook.

Step 5

Season the top of the thighs with Jeff's original rub (purchase recipes here) and lay a small pat of butter on top of each.

Step 6

Preheat the smoker to 275°F using indirect heat and hickory or pecan for smoke.

Step 7

Once the smoker is ready, place the pan of chicken onto the grate of the smoker and let them cook for about 40 minutes.

Step 8

After 35-40 minutes, cover the pan with a piece of foil to tenderize the chicken and let them continue cooking for about 20-25 minutes or until they reach 170-175°F.

Step 9

When they are finished, remove from the pan and lay them on a cooling rack, cookie sheet or Weber grill pan. Coat with Jeff's barbecue sauce (purchase recipes here) and continue cooking for about 10 minutes to let the sauce set.

Step 10

Remove from the smoker and serve immediately.