Buffalo Chicken Pickle Poppers

Watch Me Make It

These smoked pickle poppers pair tangy dill pickles with a rich, creamy chicken filling and crisp bacon. The briny pickle shell provides a welcome contrast to the savory filling, making these a satisfying hand-held appetizer. Serve the finished poppers with an optional buffalo ranch or barbecue ranch sauce for dipping or drizzling.

Why This Recipe Works

The best finished poppers have bacon that looks browned and well rendered, pickles that still hold their canoe shape, and filling that appears hot and settled rather than loose. Letting them rest briefly also makes them easier to handle and helps the filling stay in place.

Ingredients

• 5 whole dill pickles
• 1 block softened cream cheese
• 1 cup diced chicken, cooked
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 slices of bacon
• barbecue rub or seasoning

How to Make It

Preheat the smoker to 350 degrees. Split the dill pickles in half longways and hollow out the inside with a small spoon to make a canoe shape. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, diced chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well by hand or with a mixing spoon until the mixture is an orange color with no streaks of white cream cheese.

Fill the pickle canoe up to the top with the cheese mixture. Wrap the whole pickle in two slices of bacon, ensuring the seams are at the bottom.

Season with your favorite barbecue rub or seasoning. Place in the smoker to cook for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the bacon is done to your liking.

Remove and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with a buffalo ranch dip or drizzle made from a 50-50 mix of ranch dressing and barbecue sauce, or ranch dressing and buffalo sauce.

Tips and Variations

Use fully softened cream cheese so it blends smoothly with the chicken and cheddar instead of leaving dense pockets in the filling.

When hollowing the pickles, leave a sturdy border around the edges so the canoes can support the filling during cooking. If the cut surfaces are very wet with brine, pat them dry before filling so the mixture sits more securely.

Press and smooth the filling into each cavity rather than piling it loosely on top. This helps keep the filling supported by the pickle walls as the bacon cooks.

Serving Ideas

Serve with a 50-50 mixture of ranch dressing and buffalo sauce, or use ranch dressing and barbecue sauce instead. Arrange the poppers on a platter with small picks for easier handling.

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Buffalo Chicken Pickle Poppers

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 5 whole dill pickles
• 1 block softened cream cheese
• 1 cup diced chicken cooked
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 slices of bacon
• barbecue rub or seasoning

Instructions

• Preheat the smoker to 350 degrees.
• Split the dill pickles in half longways and hollow out the inside with a small spoon to make a canoe shape. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, diced chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Mix well by hand or with a mixing spoon until the mixture is an orange color with no streaks of white cream cheese.
• Fill the pickle canoe up to the top with the cheese mixture.
• Wrap the whole pickle in two slices of bacon, ensuring the seams are at the bottom.
• Season with your favorite barbecue rub or seasoning.
• Place in the smoker to cook for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the bacon is done to your liking.
• Remove and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serve with a buffalo ranch dip or drizzle made from a 50-50 mix of ranch dressing and barbecue sauce, or ranch dressing and buffalo sauce.