I love the flavor of these stuffed tex-mex poblanos.  They have some heat, but not overwhelming and they are such a nice vessel for a healthy, flavorful dish.  Look for medium-size peppers so you can stuff with a generous amount of filling.  If you don’t have quinoa, you could easily substitute rice or another grain.  The quinoa works well in this recipe as it holds together and binds beautifully with the companion ingredients. This recipe is a nice way to use leftover chicken and I prefer thighs in these baked dishes. The chicken thighs are a bit fattier and ideal, as the meat is not terribly dry when reheated.  If you don’t have leftover chicken, sprinkle your chicken on both sides with cumin, a little chili powder, salt and pepper and a little garlic powder and roast for about 45 minutes until skin is crispy and then shred once it has cooled.

yield 6 stuffed halves

Ingredients:

  • 3 poblano peppers, medium to large
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken (I like roasted thigh meat, 2 chicken thighs)
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups corn
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped plum or cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup, minced red onion
  •  1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • juice of one lime
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Penzey’s (adobo spice), substitute favorite Mexican seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
  • kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

for poblanos: Preheat oven to Broil setting.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Slice the poblanos lengthwise and remove seeds, but keeping stem.  Place poblanos cut-side up under broiler for about 6 minutes, then flip and broil cut-side down for an additional 6 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Reduce oven temperature to 350.

fiesta quinoa:  Heat a small sauce pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat.  Add corn and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently until just beginning to turn golden on edges. Set aside.  In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, shredded chicken and remaining ingredients, reserving about 1/4 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of peppers. Add prepared corn and toss all the ingredients to combine. Fill the roasted peppers with quinoa stuffing and set in a baking dish alongside one another.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Heat in oven for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through.  Garnish with fresh cilantro and extra lime and serve.

make-ahead option:  poblanos can be stuffed ahead and refrigerated and baked just ahead of serving time.