Sliced, pickled jalapeños can be cut small to fit in between two dove breasts and provide great flavor to the poppers. (Shelby Laramore Scepanski photo)
August 30, 2018
By Shelby Laramore Scepanski
Print Recipe
Grilled dove poppers are simple to make with this recipe, plus you can easily modify the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Yield: 20 dove poppers
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
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Ingredients:
40 cleaned dove breasts 2 cans sliced, pickled jalapeños 2 (24-ounce) bottles Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing 1 pound thinly sliced bacon Toothpicks
Sliced, pickled jalapeños can be cut small to fit in between two dove breasts and provide great flavor to the poppers. (Shelby Laramore Scepanski photo)
Directions:
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1. Cut sliced jalapeños into smaller pieces and set aside.
2. Place some jalapeños in between two dove breasts. Wrap one piece of bacon tightly around the two dove breasts; secure with a toothpick.
3. Repeat step 2 with remaining dove breasts.
4. Once all dove poppers are assembled, place them in a large bowl. Pour Italian dressing over poppers, making sure each one is covered in the dressing.
Covering the dove poppers completely with the dressing will ensure the flavor infuses with each one. (Shelby Laramore Scepanski photo)
5. Cover the bowl of poppers with a lid or plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Allow dove poppers to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
6. Grill dove poppers for about 20 minutes over indirect heat, flipping periodically, or until bacon is crispy and meat is cooked through.
7. Let dove poppers cool before serving, and then enjoy!
Helpful Tips for this Dove Popper Recipe
After cleaning the birds, soak the dove breasts in saltwater overnight. Then freeze them to use whenever you want! If also catering to those who don’t like spicy foods, use bell peppers in place of jalapeños. Secure with colored toothpicks to mark the difference. Cheap, thinly sliced bacon works best for wrapping because it tends to cook all the way through unlike thick-cut bacon. This will keep the bacon from being chewy.
Keep dove poppers off of direct heat to avoid cooking too quickly. (Shelby Laramore Scepanski photo)
Cream Cheese Dove Poppers
For a delicious twist on this Dove Popper Recipe, try this variation:
Marinate the dove breasts by themselves in the Zesty Italian dressing and a little soy sauce. Combine one dove breast, cream cheese, and a fresh pepper of your choice. Wrap tightly in bacon and secure with a toothpick. Grill for about 20 minutes off of direct heat, or until thoroughly cooked.
