This recipe was a great way to use leftover chicken. I chose orzo as the grain as it blended wonderfully with the cheese and chicken. You could also substitute rice or quinoa or even farro. Love all the Mexican flavors that make this a delicious meal.

Yield: 8 stuffed peppers

Ingredients:

  • 4 large obell peppers, halved and cleaned inside
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño, fine dice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 pound diced chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese
  • 3 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning (or favorite Mexican seasoning)
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of one lime

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Place the cleaned peppers hollowed side up in a baking pan. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Roast peppers for 20 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and reduce oven temp to 350.

While peppers roast, prepare filling. In a medium saucepan, heat butter and oil, add onions, jalapeño, garlic and tomato paste and sauté on medium heat until translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add orzo and toast for a minute or two. Add stock, 1 teaspoon of cumin and bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes until stock is absorbed.

In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Carefully fill partially roasted peppers with filling. You can overfill each pepper dividing the filling evenly in each pepper. Place peppers back in oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes at reduced temperature. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve warm. Enjoy!