Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

Yes, this is a real thing.  Bacon, buffalo chicken, and jalapenos are pretty much all my favorite foods in the universe.  I found a way to put them all together.  This recipe can be done as an appetizer (pictured) or you could make this into an entree by leaving the chicken breasts intact.  Either way, this is very spicy and very good.

Ingredients:

• 3 thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked
• celery salt, black pepper, buffalo rub (optional)
• 4 oz softened whipped chive cream cheese
• 5 julienned jalapenos, red fresnos or serranos (make sure you remove the seeds! this is crazy hot as it is)
• 12oz buffalo sauce
• 5 slices of uncooked bacon (don't be scared- this will cook in the oven), halved
• garnishes: ranch or bleu cheese dressing, carrot sticks, celery sticks

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 slices.  Season with celery salt, black pepper and the buffalo rub if you have it.  If  you don't have the buffalo rub, don't despair.  There is plenty of buffalo goodness coming up.
2. Spread some cream cheese on each chicken piece, top with some of the sliced peppers, and roll up.  Dip in buffalo sauce (start with 1/2c in a bowl, that should do just fine), coating all sides, and wrap with bacon.  Place seam side down. Secure with a toothpick.  Repeat with all the chicken.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Take a round baking dish and pour some buffalo sauce in the bottom.  Add the chicken/bacon bites.  Drizzle some additional buffalo sauce over, season with more salt and pepper, and bake for about 35 minutes.  You'll want the bacon to be done and sizzling and the sides of the roll-ups to be a little oozy.
4. Remove from the oven and serve with your choice of cooling dressing and veggies.

These are crazy hot.  I know I mentioned it before but seriously, this is spicy.  If you want to cut down on the spicy factor, you could either not drizzle additional hot sauce over the bites before cooking them, or you could refrain from rolling them in buffalo sauce prior to wrapping in bacon.  But if you love spicy like I do, go for it!