Stuffed Poblano Peppers

A fiesta of flavors and colors, these oven-baked, chicken stuffed poblano peppers are delicious, gorgeous, and surprisingly easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil for the pan
• 4 medium poblano peppers (1 lb. total weight w/ refuse, 12 oz. cleaned)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (10 oz.)
• 1/2 medium onion, diced (4 oz.)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (not fine salt)
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (10 oz.)
• 1 cup part skim mozzarella, shredded (4 oz.)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup cheddar, shredded (2 oz.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed oven and broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and brush it with a little olive oil.
2. Rinse and dry the poblanos. Cut a thin slice off the tops and remove the core and seeds. Cut a slit down the side of each pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and salt. Cook, stirring often, until liquids have evaporated, about 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in the chicken, the mozzarella and the cilantro, mixing well.
4. Divide the filling among the peppers, adding it from the top and pressing on it to fill the entire pepper. Place the stuffed peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the poblanos are soft and charred in places, 20-30 minutes (the smell will be amazing!).
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and switch the oven to broil. Top the peppers with the cheddar cheese and broil just until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.