A fiesta of flavors and colors, these stuffed poblano peppers are flavorful, gorgeous, and surprisingly easy to make.
These stuffed poblanos are bursting with flavor! The combination of peppers, shredded chicken, and melted cheese is phenomenal. And while it may look like a complex recipe, it's easy, especially if you use pre-cooked chicken. I often make a double batch because the leftovers are just as good as the freshly made dish.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Poblano peppers: They are widely available in supermarkets, usually in an area dedicated to spicy chile peppers.
- Shredded cooked chicken breast: You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken. It makes this recipe even easier than it already is. You can use white or dark meat, but please remove the chicken skin. Its texture won't work in the filling. Sometimes, I use a pound of cooked and drained ground beef instead of chicken.
- Shredded cheeses: I use mozzarella and cheddar. You can experiment with other melty cheese. Fontina, asiago, and provolone all work in this recipe. And instead of mixing mozzarella into the chicken mixture, you can use softened cream cheese.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
You start by prepping the peppers. Remove a thin layer from their top, remove the seeds and membranes, then cut a slit down their side.
Cook tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices in olive oil. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in cooked shredded chicken, mozzarella, and cilantro. Stuff the chicken mixture into the peppers and bake them in a broiler-safe pan.
The last step is to sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of the peppers and broil them to melt the cheese.
I've now cooked these 4 times over the last two weeks, using poblano peppers and once using Hatch Chiles. It's been amazing every time. This last time, I used Oaxaca Cheese instead of mozzarella. It was even better.
Debra
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Recipe Tips
- Poblanos can irritate the skin. I recommend wearing gloves when handling them, especially if you know you're sensitive.
- Make-ahead tip: If making these peppers ahead of time, it's best to make them without the cheddar topping and add the cheese before reheating.
- If you can only find small peppers, you can use them to make this recipe, using 8-10 peppers instead of four. You can also mix different pepper sizes and bake them together. As you can see in the photo below, when filming the video for this recipe, I used three medium peppers and four small ones and baked them all together for 30 minutes. They all turned out great!
Recipe FAQs
Poblano skin is edible, but some people find it unpleasant to eat and prefer to remove it. I don't remove the skin.
Poblanos have mild to medium heat. Their heat level is usually too high for children or for adults who dislike spicy food. If you're one of them, use bell peppers instead of poblanos, or make these stuffed bell peppers.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power, or uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Yes. To freeze the leftovers, place them on a wax-paper-lined platter, not touching, until they are frozen, and then transfer them to freezer bags in a single layer. You can keep them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Stuffed poblano peppers make a great appetizer when you serve one per person. But I often serve two per person as our main course. You can serve them with toppings such as salsa, sour cream, or guacamole, and add a simple side such as:
Recipe Card
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Video
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 4 poblano peppers - medium-sized, 1 pound total weight with refuse, 12 ounces cleaned weight
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tomatoes - medium, diced; 10 ounces
- ½ onion - medium, diced; 4 ounces
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast - shredded; 10 ounces
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella - shredded; 4 ounces
- ½ cup cilantro - chopped
- ½ cup sharp cheddar - shredded; 2 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed oven and broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and spray it with oil.
- Rinse and dry the peppers. 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. Set aside.
- Prepare the filling: 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 the liquids have evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Off heat, stir in the chicken, mozzarella, and cilantro, mixing well.
- Divide the filling among the peppers, adding it from the top and pressing it to fill the entire pepper. Pack the filling into each pepper to prevent it from spilling onto the baking sheet.
- 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 (the smell will be amazing!).
- 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.
- Broil the peppers 6 inches below the heating element (not directly below) just until the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Protecting your hands with gloves while handling poblano peppers is a good idea.
- In addition to oregano and cumin, I sometimes add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the filling.
- If you can only find small poblanos, you can use them to make this recipe, using 8-10 peppers instead of four. You can also mix different pepper sizes and bake them all together.
- If you don't like spicy food, you can make this recipe with bell peppers.
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power, or uncovered in a 350°F oven until heated through.
- To freeze the leftovers, place them on a wax-paper-lined platter, not touching, until they are frozen, and then transfer them to freezer bags (in a single layer). You can keep them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Michele A Stevenson says
you don't have to remove the skins of the poblanos? I thought it was too tough to eat?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Michele,
Great question! Many people remove it - feel free to do so, too. I don't. I think it softens nicely after being cooked according to this recipe.
Sara says
This is a consistent go to meal. Easy and so delicious!!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you like this recipe, Sara! Thank you for the comment.
Linda says
can’t wait to make these - and thanks for the tip about using parsley rather than cilantro! Most creators don’t say that on the recipes. I happen to be one of those people who gags if they even smell cilantro!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I hope you enjoy this recipe, Linda! I have a friend who says cilantro tastes like soap to her, so I get it!
Kathleen says
Wonderful Dinner: will make again !
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kathleen! Thank you for the comment.
Mary L says
I used leftover ground turkey/beef meatballs, chopped finely in place of chicken. VERY tasty recipe! Will definitely try again with shredded chicken.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mary! Thank you for sharing your tweaks.
Emily says
I have made these many times and my whole family thinks they're delicious! I usually use a can of Rotel instead of the tomatoes.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you and your family have been enjoying this recipe, Emily!
Debra E Peyton says
Can these be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated? Overnight? 1-2 days?
Can they be prepared without the topping cheese maybe, and then frozen?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Debra,
Yes, absolutely. I updated the storage instructions as follows:
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power, or in a 350°F oven until heated through.
To freeze the leftovers, place them on a wax-paper-lined platter, not touching, until they are frozen, and then transfer them to freezer bags (in a single layer). You can keep them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them in the oven or microwave.
As you point out, if making these peppers ahead of time, it's best to make them without the cheddar topping and add the cheese before reheating.
Debra E Peyton says
Thanks so much for your reply!!
Libby says
This sounds wonderful! I love that there's no addition of rice. I do agree with Tom and will blacken the peppers first to remove the tough skins. That's the only change I will make. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Libby! Please come back and tell us how it turned out.
Robert Bell says
Amazing. I didn’t have mozzarella, so I substituted 1/4 cup feta and 3/4 cup sharp white cheddar. I also flat topped the chicken after beating it flat. I will make again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Robert! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Skip says
These are great. I made no changes except I made a Mexican roux and added jalapenos as I love the heat. Wonderful eating. Thank you.
Vered DeLeeuw says
So glad you like them! Thanks for the comment.
Tom says
I'm going to grow Poblano peppers so I looked up some recipes and there are general comments that these peppers have a tough skin and should be roasted and peeled before eating. I've never seen a recipe which says to do that to a pepper prior to stuffing it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the comment. As mentioned in the post, poblano skin is edible, but some people find it unpleasant to eat and prefer to remove it. I don't remove it.