Have some fun with dinner when you make Stuffed Poblano Peppers! Tender poblanos are stuffed with a bold mixture of shredded chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, and more. So easy, filling, and impressive!
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
If you’re a fan of recipes like my crockpot stuffed peppers, then you’ll love this twist! These stuffed poblano peppers are cheesy and filled to the brim with a protein-packed, flavorful mixture of your favorite Tex-Mex ingredients. This recipe is easily one of my favorite ways to use up shredded chicken. My key to success with this recipe is first roasting the poblanos, which brings out a natural sweetness that balances the savory filling perfectly. And don’t worry about this dinner being too spicy – poblanos are super mild! They’re a little spicier than a bell pepper, but I find that it’s just enough spice to add flavor, not to actually label the dish as spicy.
Can I make it spicy?
Yes! While the peppers themselves are mild, you can easily make this a spicy dinner. Consider using a spicy salsa instead of salsa verde, sprinkle in some cayenne powder, or shake in some of your favorite hot sauce. The options here are limitless!
How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking dish.
- Roast. Add the whole poblanos to the prepared pan and roast for 20 minutes until becoming soft. Remove the poblanos from the pan to a cutting board. Be VERY careful! The peppers will be hot when they’re done roasting. I like to use my oven mitt to avoid burning my hands.
- Make the filling. While the peppers roast, add the chicken, beans, corn, salsa, cream cheese, seasonings, and one cup of the cheese to a bowl. Mix.
- Stuff the peppers. Cut a slit down the length of each pepper to make a pocket. Don’t cut all the way through. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Stuff each pepper with the chicken mixture and top with cheese.
- Bake. Place the peppers back in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, just to warm them through and melt the cheese.
Storing and Reheating
Let the stuffed peppers cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave for 30 seconds at a time just until warmed through.
I do not recommend freezing these stuffed peppers.
Ingredient Notes
- Poblano Peppers – I recommend using 4 large peppers if you can! If your grocery store only has smaller ones, that’s fine too. You should have enough filling for about 6 of them.
- Shredded Chicken – I almost always have shredded chicken in my fridge. However, you can always grab a rotisserie chicken and use that!
- Black Beans – Make sure to drain and rinse them well before mixing. You don’t want extra liquid in the filling.
- Corn – You can use frozen or canned corn. If using canned, make sure it’s drained well before using. Frozen corn doesn’t need to be thawed.
- Salsa – Salsa verde is my favorite to use! Red salsa also works if preferred.
- Cream Cheese – It’ll need to be softened to room temp before using to make mixing easier.
- Seasonings – I use a blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Feel free to play around with this as desired. Of course, a little salt and pepper also goes a long way.
- Cheese – Monterey Jack cheese is the best with these stuffed peppers! There’s a lot of wiggle room, though. Pepper Jack, Mexican blend, or even cheddar will all work well. Use your favorite.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 Large Poblano Peppers or 6 medium
- 2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
- 1/2 Cup Black Beans
- 1/2 Canned or Frozen Corn Kernels Drained
- 2 Cups Salsa Verde Red salsa is fine also
- 4 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened
- 1 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 2 Cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers lightly with non-stick spray.
- Add the whole poblanos to the prepared pan and roast for 20 minutes until becoming soft. Remove the poblanos from the pan to a cutting board.
- Meanwhile, add the shredded chicken, beans, corn, salsa, cream cheese, seasonings, and one Cup of the cheese to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Cut a slit down the length of each pepper to make a pocket, being careful not to slice all the way through and use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds.
- Fill each poblano up equally with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
- Return the filled peppers to the baking sheet and into the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loved this dish. I actually split all the ingredients and did half with red salsa and the other half with the salsa verde. I asked my son which he liked best. He loved both as they were. Personally I prefer the salsa verde for the kick of spice. On another note, for expediency, can I halve the peppers horizontally prior to baking? Cleaning the seeds and stems from the peppers after baking was tedious. I think it would be easier cleaning the peppers out prior to baking would be more simple. Please let me know if making this change would be a mistake. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with all of us.
I love this recipe! I used 8 poblano peppers and froze 6. They were great fresh and frozen. To freeze them, I made as directed but didn’t do the final bake. Instead, I wrapped them in sprayed foil. Then it’s easy to just unwrap and place in your oven on the existing foil. I did use a green chili sauce in addition to the salsa verde for a bit more flavor. Will definitely be making again since it’s a quick and easy prep lunch/dinner.
Thanks, great idea to freeze them! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Delicious! Made just as stated (except roasted the peppers in the initial step for 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes). The flavor balance is just right, the dish is filling, and looks great on the plate, too. Served with rice as a side dish and everything went together beautifully!
Easy to make and delish. Love to add something spicy to them for that extra kick.