Jalapeño Cornbread Poppers

Preheat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place on prepared baking sheet. Cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Reserving grease, remove from heat and drain bacon on paper towels. When cool, chop into small pieces. In a large bowl, combine corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream, and reserved bacon fat and mix until combined. Season with pepper then fold in corn (if using), chopped bacon, cheddar and chives. Divide cornbread batter between jalapeño halves and bake until the cornbread is golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve.