Easy, Jalapeño Popper Chicken And Hash Brown Casserole makes a great hearty breakfast or delicious dinner. Cheesy, spicy and protein packed.

Why Make Chicken & Hash Brown Casserole

If you love jalapeño poppers, you MUST try this casserole. It’s easy to throw to together, full of hearty flavors and ingredients you will love. A great meal for breakfast or for dinner!

If you want another yummy chicken casserole, try my Chicken and Tomato Casserole. Nothing is easier than a dump and bake dish and this has you covered. You can use rotisserie chicken and make it even EASIER if you don’t want to make the chicken breasts from scratch.

Meal prep Friendly. This casserole is totally meal prep friendly! You can prep it and bake it when ready to eat or, bake it, divide it up and eat throughout the week.

Customizable. Make this as spicy or as mild as you want! You can also skip the jalapeños if you’d like. I love the flavor they bring but the recipe doesn’t lean on them too much.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken Breasts. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. They will be seasoned, cooked and then shredded. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken to make this easier.

Bacon. I like to cook the bacon the day of the casserole, I use the bacon grease to cook up the chicken breasts and to coat the baking dish with to offer more bacon flavor. I use this in place of butter. Another great recipe to try if you have leftover bacon, my Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet.

Hash Browns. I use frozen, pre shredded hash browns. Let them thaw a bit or keep them in the refrigerator so they are cold, but no longer frozen.

Seasonings. Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried basil.

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Recipe Variations & Substitutions

Chicken Breasts. Use pre cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken to cut out more steps and cut back on time.

Hash Browns. Pre small diced breakfast potatoes will also work in place of hash browns.

Cream Cheese. You can use sour cream in place of cream cheese, however, the casserole will be a bit more runny and not as solidified.

Make It Healthier. Make this recipe healthier by using turkey bacon, and skipping the cheese, this will cut some calories and fat content. You can also add extra veggies such as diced bell pepper.

Other Add Ins. This casserole is great with 1/2 cup of thawed corn or one diced bell pepper. You can also add cilantro and salsa as a garnish if you want to step it up a bit. If you want something a little more Mexican Inspired, try my Enchilada Casserole.

Steps To Make This Recipe

Step One. Start with cooking the bacon in a large heavy bottomed skillet (like a 9 inch cast iron). Reserve some of the bacon grease. Chop bacon into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Step Two. Cut chicken breasts in half, season generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the same skillet you cooked the bacon it. Cook for about 8-10 minutes on each side until fully cooked (165º internally).

Step Three. Add the chicken to a stand mixer to shred, or shred by hand. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350º degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or drizzle bacon grease.

Step Four. In a large mixing bowl stir together 1/2 cup of the cheese, cream cheese, melted butter or bacon grease, milk, seasonings, jalapeños (reserve some for garnish!) and about ⅔ of the bacon (the rest will be garnish), combine well. Stir in the cooked shredded chicken and the thawed hash browns. Spoon evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Step Five. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, evenly sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for an additional 20 -25 minutes, the cheese should be brown and bubbling. Pull from the oven, let it cook just a bit. Garnish with sliced green onions, jalapeños and leftover crispy bacon.

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Tips

Make-Ahead Option: Prepare the casserole in advance and refrigerate it overnight. This allows the flavors to meld, and you can simply bake it when you’re ready to serve.

Rest Before Serving: Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven. This helps to set the ingredients and makes it easier to slice and serve as a casserole.

Cook Chicken Properly: Cook the chicken thoroughly before incorporating it into the casserole. Use Rotisserie chicken to cut back on time and cooking steps.

Other Chicken Recipes You Will Love

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