I know we’re just over 1/2 way through the Honey, I’m Healthier series for January, but these chicken and sweet potato stuffed poblano peppers will likely reign as my favorite healthier recipe. Not only because it’s nutritious and delicious, but it’s inspired by a recipe my Mom shared with me years ago! Mom knows best. A very close second is the Light French Onion Dip from last week. So much flavor and nutrition packed into a perfect poblano package. I also have to admit, that when I’m less focused on healthier eating, I smother these in a homemade nacho cheese sauce. I’ll share that recipe at a later date so I don’t tempt you!
When I’m focusing on healthier eating, maximizing the use of whole foods with good fiber content, lean proteins, and spices are the key to keeping my meals both healthy and delicious. This recipe is a fantastic example of all three! Cumin, chili powder, salt, and lime highlight and pair well with the flavors of the chicken and sweet potato. Without garnishes, one peppers stuffed with a whole cup of the delicious filling is about 275 calories. With a calorie count like that, if you wanted to add a serving of shredded cheese, you totally could! Add that you’re getting 30 grams of lean protein, tons of vitamin A and potassium, and 8 grams of fiber and this could be the perfect healthy meal!
Keys to Success
- Find a pre-cooked shredded chicken. 95% of the time, if I can make it from scratch, I’m going to make it from scratch. Shredded chicken is an ingredient I have had great luck finding ready to go in the store. I always have a package of this Del Reel Foods shredded chicken in the fridge. Pre-shredded rotisserie chicken would also work well here. Save the time, buy the shredded chicken!
- Keep the dice small. A small dice on your sweet potatoes and onions will do two things. 1) make your peppers easier to stuff as full as possible. And, 2) keep the cooking time to a minimum. The smaller the dice, the quicker you’ll get the sweet potatoes to fork tender. Don’t take it too far, a 1/4″ dice is perfect for this recipe.
- Cut the peppers correctly. As stated in the recipe, you’ll slice each pepper longways through one side to make a pocket for the filling. After broiling, the peppers will be very delicate. Here are some helpful photos for the process of the peppers.
Other Stuff to Consider
- You may have extra filling. This recipe makes about 6 cups of filling. If your peppers are smaller, there may be extra filling. This filling is also fantastic as a burrito bowl, taco filling, or just by itself. If you’re not ready to use it right way, store in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Sweet peppers would also be great! If poblanos are too fiery for you, follow the recipe, but replace the poblanos with sweet bell peppers instead. If you’re in the middle of the road on the level of heat you like, just scrape out the ribs and seeds of the poblano. All the heat is in the ribs and seeds of the pepper.
- Mind those garnishes! Lime juice, Mexican crema, cilantro, salsa, and avocado are all fantastic garnishes when making healthier choices. Cheese and sour cream can add on calories without adding much nutritional value pretty quick. Moderation and mindfulness when it comes to garnishes is key to keeping this recipe as healthy as possible!
- Leftover stuffed peppers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge, but should be eaten within two days. The peppers can get a little slimy if left in the fridge too long.
Chicken + Sweet Potato Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 wooden spatula
- 1 sheet pan with rack
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 16 oz pre cooked and shredded boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium sweet potato ¼" dice
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 16 oz can no salt added black beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 large poblano peppers washed and dried
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- juice of one lime
- Garnishes: lime, avocado, cilantro, cheese, Mexican crema, chili lime seasoning
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Set your oven to high broil with a rack set in the top ⅓ of the oven
- While the oven is heating, arrange your peppers on a sheet pan with a rack. Place rack under the broiler to blister and char the skins of the peppers. 7-8 minutes/side. Once blistered and charred on both sides, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, and salt and cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. About 10 minutes.
- Deglaze the bottom of the pan with ¼ water and the lime juice, scraping the bottom of the pan with the wooden spatula.
- Add the shredded chicken and mix evenly with the sweet potato mixture, followed by the black beans. Stir in the black beans until just combined. Do not over mix the beans or the mixture could turn black.
- Turn off the heat and allow mixture to cool while you prep your cooled poblano peppers
- For each pepper, using a knife, make an incision long ways, from the stem of the pepper to the tip to make a pocket for the filling. Do not cut all the way through the pepper. If you don't like the skin, the skins will easily remove at this step. If you prefer milder food, use a spoon to scrape out the ribs and seeds of the peppers.
- Using a spoon, add filling to each pepper. The peppers should be over stuffed. Be careful not to tear the peppers when filling. Depending on the size of your peppers, ¾ – 1 cup of filling will fill each pepper.
- Return pan to a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Serve with limes, crema, avocado, salso and/or cilantro.
Nutrition
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