Description
Easy Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a flavorful and nutritious dish featuring poblano peppers filled with a savory mixture of shredded chicken, rice, black beans, corn, and spices, topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese. These peppers are baked to perfection, offering a slightly firm texture with a deliciously cheesy finish, perfect for a quick weeknight meal or casual dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Poblano Peppers
- 4-6 large poblano peppers
Filling
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained with some liquid retained
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for topping
- 1 small jalapeno, diced and seeds removed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
Topping
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Peppers: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). If you prefer your peppers to be very soft, slice and remove the seeds and membranes from the poblano peppers, then massage them with olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling. Otherwise, skip this step for firmer peppers.
- Make the Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cooked rice, black beans, corn kernels, diced tomatoes (with some liquid remaining for moisture), optional jalapeno, chopped cilantro, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, crushed red peppers, and salt. Stir well to evenly mix all ingredients.
- Prepare Peppers for Stuffing: Cut each poblano pepper in half lengthwise and carefully remove seeds and membranes. Arrange the pepper halves cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Stuff the Peppers: Spoon equal amounts of the chicken and vegetable mixture into each poblano pepper half, filling them generously but without overstuffing.
- Bake the Stuffed Peppers: Bake the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and evenly sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack cheese over each pepper half. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a crispy cheese topping, optionally broil the peppers for 1-2 minutes after melting the cheese, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Serve: Let the stuffed peppers cool slightly for a few minutes. Then, garnish with additional chopped cilantro and serve warm.
Notes
- For softer poblano peppers, pre-roast them before stuffing as described in step 1.
- The diced tomatoes should be mostly drained to avoid excess liquid but retain a little moisture for the filling consistency.
- Adjust the optional jalapeno amount to control the heat level.
- Broiling after cheese melts adds a nice crispy texture but is optional.
- This recipe can be made ahead and reheated gently in the oven.
