Irish Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Potato Skins

A St. Patrick’s Day party isn’t a party unless you serve these Irish Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Potato Skins. Crispy and cheesy and oh-so-bacon-y. Potato skins filled with Irish cheddar, crispy chopped bacon, diced jalapeño and baked until the cheese melts, bacon crisps up more and the jalapeños soften. Yields 20 potato skins.

St. Patrick’s Day is approaching and it’s on a Sunday … womp-womp. But I’m thinking of celebrating on Saturday, complete with green beer and delicious appetizers. And by appetizers I mean these Irish cheddar bacon jalapeno potato skins. 

Potato skins may be one of the best appetizers. Because potatoes. But also because they are the perfect hand held vessel. And the more loaded up with goodies the better. I was inspired by these nachos, and decided to hollow out baked potatoes, throw them under the broiler to crisp and then fill them with Irish cheddar cheese, crispy bacon and jalapeño. 

The combination of potato, bacon and jalapeño is delicious. 

Here’s what you will need: 5 pounds medium-sized russet potatoes, olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper, 3/4 pound bacon, 7 ounces Irish cheddar cheese (grated), 1 jalapeño pepper, minced parsley leaves. Sour cream and greek yogurt, for serving.

To start, preheat your oven to 350°. Spray or drizzle the (scrubbed) potatoes with olive oil and massage the oil into the skin of the potatoes. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The potatoes are done when a fork pierces the largest potato easily. Allow to cool until safe enough to handle.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crispy, drain and chop pretty small.

Next, cut the potatoes in half horizontally. And scoop out the flesh, leaving a little potato still attached to the skin.

Then, using oven mitts, move your oven rack to the highest position and preheat your oven to broil (high).

Next, invert the potato skins, and broil for 4 minutes or until the skin is crisp, roasting the pan halfway through to ensure even browning. Use tongs to flip the skins and spray the side with the expose potato with olive oil and season with a little bit of kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

Switch your oven over to bake and preheat to 375°.

Once the potatoes are golden brown in spots, divide the cheddar among the skins and top with bacon and finely diced jalapeño. Bake in your preheated 375° for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Lastly, sprinkle with snipped chives and the finely minced parsley for a burst of freshness.

Serve with sour cream or (plain) nonfat unsweetened greek yogurt and prepare to not share, take the whole pan somewhere quiet and inhale.

However these are delicious served with cold beers and good friends. 

Enjoy! And if you give this Irish Cheddar Bacon Jalapeno Potato Skins recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

My cookbook Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy is now available! CLICK HERE for details and THANK YOU in advance!

Yield: 20 potato skins

Irish Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Potato Skins

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A St. Patrick's Day party isn't a party unless you serve these Irish Cheddar Bacon Jalapeño Potato Skins. Crispy and cheesy and oh-so-bacon-y. Hollowed out baked potatoes are broiled and filled with Irish cheddar, crispy chopped bacon, diced jalapeño and baked until the cheese melts, bacon crisps up more and the jalapeños soften. Yields 20 potato skins in under an hour.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 pounds medium-sized russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and patted dry
• olive oil
• 3/4 pound bacon, cooked and chopped fine
• 7 ounces Irish cheddar, freshly grated
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 to 2 tablespoons snipped chives (or substitute with freeze-dried chives)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• plain nonfat unsweetened greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and rub or spray the (scrubbed) potatoes with olive oil. Massaging the oil into the potato skin. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a fork pierces easily through the largest potato.
2. Once baked, allow the potatoes to cool until safe to handle. Cut in half horizontally and scoop out the flesh, leaving a little potato still intact. Reserve the flesh for another purpose.
3. Then, using oven mitts, move your oven rack to the highest position and preheat your oven to broil (high).
4. Next, invert the potato skins, and broil for 4 minutes or until the skin is crisp, roasting the pan halfway through to ensure even browning. Use tongs to flip the skins and spray the side with the expose potato with olive oil and season with a little bit of kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
5. Switch your oven over to bake and preheat to 375°.
6. Then, once the potatoes have been broiled and are golden brown in spots, divide the cheddar among the inside of potato skins and top with bacon and finely diced jalapeño. Bake in your preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
7. Garnish with chives, parsley and serve with sour cream or greek yogurt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242 Total Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 27mg Sodium: 371mg Carbohydrates: 25g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 2g Protein: 12g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.