Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Smoky/earth poblanos do have a mild kick, and act as a tender yet sturdy base for this cheesy chicken filling. The beans and tomatoes bulk it up with more texture and flavor. The sharp cheddar adds a nice tang while the pepper jack is melty and spicy. The corn chips on top add a crunch and extra hit of salty sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 4 poblano pepper, halved and seeded
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped yellow onion
- 5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as ro*tel)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
- ¼ cup corn chips (such as fritos®, crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- lime wedges for serving
Direction
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position a rack in the center position of the oven and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place halved peppers, cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet (leave stems on) and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season inside and outside of peppers with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Bake in the preheated oven until peppers are almost tender and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add beans and stir until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Remove onion mixture from heat. Add cream cheese and stir until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, 1/2 cup each pepper jack and white Cheddar, and season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Spoon about 1/2 to 2/3 cup chicken mixture into each pepper half (depending on size of the pepper).
- Mix together corn chips and remaining 1 cup each pepper jack and white Cheddar in a small bowl. Top peppers evenly with cheese-chip mixture (it's okay if cheese spills onto the baking sheet).
- Bake until the cheese has melted and peppers are tender, about 8 minutes. Without removing peppers, turn oven to broil and broil until cheese is starting to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Place 2 stuffed peppers and any cheese that has melted onto the baking sheet, onto each of 4 serving plates and garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
