Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Total Time: 55 min

Ingredients

• 4 medium poblano peppers (cleaned)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (10 oz.)
• ½ medium onion, diced (4 oz.)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon fine salt)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 1 cup Panela cheese or part-skim mozzarella, shredded (4 oz.)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or  Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and spray it with oil.
2. Rinse and dry the poblanos. Cut a thin slice off the tops and remove the core and seeds. Cut a slit all the way down the side of each pepper and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until liquids have evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cooked chicken, the panela or mozzarella and the cilantro. Mix well.
4. Divide the filling among the peppers, adding it from the top and pressing on it to fill the entire pepper. Pack the filling into each pepper to prevent it from spilling onto the baking sheet.
5. Place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet, slit side up. Lightly spray them with olive oil. Bake until the poblanos are soft and charred in places, about 30 minutes.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and switch the oven to broil. Top the peppers with the cheddar cheese, sprinkling the cheese on the open part where you’ve cut the slit.
7. Broil the peppers 6 inches below the heating element (not directly below) just until the cheese is melted, 1-3 minutes. Let them rest for 5 minutes. Top with more cilantro if desired.