If you’re looking for some appetizers but aren’t necessarily in the mood to make them from scratch, there are far worse places to turn to than the Trader Joe’s freezer aisle. We’ve found some real winners there, including the Pork Shu Mai Pork Dumplings, the Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onions, and the Crispy Rice Salmon Bites.
Today we’re checking out yet another frozen appetizer, the Trader Joe’s Buffalo Style Chicken Poppers. These chicken-filled apps seem quite tasty, so we’re very excited to dig into them and see what they’re all about.
When you first crack open the box, you’ll find ten chicken poppers inside, sealed in a single package. This is fine if you want to make a full batch, but if you’re just looking for a couple poppers for a light snack, this packaging configuration doesn’t lend itself to portioning.
Cooking these is simple, though. Simply preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit, then place the chicken poppers on a baking sheet and let them cook for 16 to 20 minutes. You’ll want to flip them over about halfway through the process. There are no microwave instructions on the box, which is unfortunate for all you microwave enthusiasts (we know you’re out there!) Just be careful to let these cool once you take them out of the oven. We do’t want anyone burning their fingertips — or even worse, the insides of their mouths!
So now that our batch has been given some time to cool, let’s dig in.
First off, we’ll say that these are delicious. We weren’t all that concerned, to be honest, as the Trader Joe’s appetizers line seems to be pretty consistently great. But it’s nice to have been able to confirm that the Buffalo Style Chicken Poppers are definitely worth trying out.
The outer shell is crispy and flakey, and while it’s certainly not the main event here, it’s quite satisfying to bite into. That main event we just mentioned, though, is the filling. It’s a surprisingly creamy affair, with chunks of chicken and a lovely buffalo sauce.
That means these poppers have a good spicy kick. Yes, these things will make your sinuses run and put some warmth in your belly (and down your throat). These actually aren’t that spicy at first, but they have that deceptive sort of spice level that creeps up on you and amplifies with each popper you eat. By the time you’re three or four poppers deep, you’ll be starting to feel it.
According to the package, a serving size is three poppers, which means a box contains three servings, plus one extra. We suppose this is probably good if, say, you drop one on the floor on accident — you’ll still have three servings left.
If you stick with the three-popper serving, you’ll be consuming 240 calories and 340 mg of sodium. Neither of those numbers looks all that bad, but they are dependent on you only eating three poppers. Plus, they don’t take into consideration any dipping sauce you might add (we couldn’t resist trying ours with some ranch dressing).
The Trader Joe’s Buffalo Style Chicken Poppers are another winner from the Trader Joe’s freezer aisle. If you want some appetizers to share — or even to hoard for yourself, we suppose — these are pretty great.
To learn more about the nutritional content, ingredients, or cooking instructions for these Trader Joe’s chicken poppers, check out our package scans below.
