๐ถ๏ธ Creamy Poblano Chicken: The Ultimate Stuff-It-In-Everything Recipe
Recipe By: Chef Christine Ma of Cherry on My Sundae
Fun Fact: Rajas means โstripsโ in Spanish, referring to the sliced roasted poblano peppers traditionally used in rajas con crema. This classic combination of smoky peppers and silky cream makes an incredible side dish. Add tender chicken, and you've got a filling worth building an entire taco night around.
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๐ What You'll Need
For the Chicken
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1ยฝ tsp ground cumin
1ยฝ tsp salt
ยฝ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
For the Creamy Poblano Sauce
4 large poblano peppers
1 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
ยพ cup chicken stock
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
For the Finishing Touches
ยผ cup pickled red onions
2 tbsp toasted pepitas
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
๐จโ๐ณ Step By Step
1๏ธโฃ Roast Those Poblanos
Set your broiler to high and roast the poblanos for 10โ15 minutes, turning until their skins are blistered and charred. Transfer to a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, deseed, and slice into strips.
2๏ธโฃ Give That Chicken Some Color
Season the chicken thighs with cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden, working in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside.
3๏ธโฃ Build the Poblano Magic
In the same skillet, sautรฉ the onion until softened, about 4โ5 minutes. Add the roasted poblano strips and garlic, cooking for another 2 minutes. Reserve one-third of the pepper mixture. Blend the remainder with crema, chicken stock, and cilantro until smooth.
4๏ธโฃ Let Everything Get Cozy
Return the sauce to the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken thighs and cook for approximately 10โ12 minutes, or until they reach 165ยฐF internally. Keep the heat low enough to avoid boiling the crema sauce.
5๏ธโฃ Shred, Sauce & Serve
For our stuff-it-in-everything version, remove the fully cooked chicken, shred it with two forks, and fold it back into the creamy poblano sauce. Stir in the reserved pepper strips. Finish with pickled onions, toasted pepitas, fresh cilantro, and lime.
๐ฎ One Chicken. Five Delicious Ways.
๐ฎ Taco Night
Pile that creamy poblano chicken into warm corn tortillas. Add crunchy cabbage, pickled onions, and a squeeze of lime. Done!
๐ง Enchilada Heaven
Roll the chicken into tortillas, arrange in a baking dish, cover with a little extra sauce and shredded Monterey Jack, and bake until heated through and bubbly.
๐ฏ The Ultimate Burrito
Stuff a flour tortilla with poblano chicken, cilantro rice, black beans, and cheese. Roll it tight and toast until golden.
๐ฅ Loaded Quesadillas
Layer the chicken with Oaxaca cheese between flour tortillas. Cook until crispy outside and gloriously melty inside.
๐ฅ The Anything-Goes Bowl
Serve the chicken over rice with avocado, roasted corn, black beans, cilantro, and plenty of lime.
