Cheesy Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- PREP 20min
- COOK 55min
- TOTAL 1hrs 15min
For these incredibly tasty stuffed poblano peppers, we fill the peppers with southwestern spiced chicken, rice, and cheese, then bake them in the oven until tender. Easy, flavorful, and a meal in one!
You have two options for preparing the peppers. You can partially roast them whole, let them cool a bit, and then make a slit down the middle of one side in order to remove the seeds. I prefer this, but it adds a little extra cooling time. Or, you can slice each pepper in half lengthwise before partially roasting them. This will mean you may need a second baking dish, as all the pepper halves will not fit into one. Halving the peppers is easier, but because of the oblong shape of poblanos, you may have some trouble stuffing them later on, as the halves tend to lay more flat and lose the natural cup shape that is helpful for holding the filling.
You Will Need
4 to 6 poblano peppers, depending on size
1 ½ cups cooked rice (226g)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Half of a small onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound ground chicken (450g)
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons sour cream (75g)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 ounces shredded mild cheese, like Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, or Oaxaca cheese, about 1 cup (113g)
2 limes
Directions
1Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and set aside a large 13×9-inch baking dish.
2Pre-bake peppers: Rub the whole poblano peppers with a ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then place them into the baking dish (in one layer). Roast the peppers for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let them steam for 15 minutes while you work on the filling. (If you cut your peppers in halves lengthwise instead, you should remove the seeds and membrane before baking, rub the halves all over with the oil, and do not need to cover them with foil or the additional cooling time after baking.)
3Make the filling: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chili powder, dried oregano, paprika, and ground cumin, and cook for one minute. Add the chicken and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it into crumbles. When cooked through, stir in the corn.
4Fold in rice: Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the cooked rice, ½ teaspoon salt, sour cream, and the juice of half a lime. Taste, and then adjust with more salt and lime juice (I usually add another ½ teaspoon of salt).
5Prepare peppers for Stuffing: For whole pre-baked peppers, uncover the foil, and then cut a slit down the length of each pepper. Gently open the peppers up and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and membrane towards the top of each pepper (a pairing knife helps to cut through the top where the seeds are).
6Stuff peppers: Use a spoon to fill each pepper with the ground chicken stuffing. Pack in as much as you can fit. Place into the baking dish, top with chopped cilantro, and cover with cheese.
7Bake: Bake the peppers for 18 to 25 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese melts. Serve with a wedge of lime for squeezing over the top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (this assumes the rice was made within a day of preparing the peppers).
- Substitute the ground chicken: Other ground meat like turkey, beef, and pork work in the recipe. If you use ground beef or pork, we recommend that you brown the meat first, remove it from the pan, and drain it (since it will be fattier).
- Rice-free stuffed poblano peppers: Increase the meat by ½ pound or assume you will have less stuffing for each pepper. You can also substitute the rice for cooked quinoa.
- Substitute bell peppers: Poblano peppers are mild compared to jalapeños, but they still can have a bit of heat. Feel free to substitute green bell peppers in this recipe.
- More serving ideas: These peppers are amazing as written, but are also excellent when served with pico de gallo or homemade guacamole! I’ve also taken the leftovers, chopped them, and added them to warm corn tortillas (so good!).
- The nutrition facts below are estimates.