Stuffed Poblano Peppers are zesty, cheesy and packed with all of our favorite flavors! Chunks of tender chicken breast, corn, bell pepper, and loads of herbs and spices are stuffed into mild, roasted poblano peppers. Serve with a generous amount of our homemade mole sauce and tuck in- you’re about to enjoy one incredibly delicious meal!
There is a whole lot to love in this Mexican-inspired dish. We’ve combined flavorful aromatics with chicken and cheese (of course there’s cheese!) and taken it up a notch with mole sauce.
If you’ve never made authentic mole sauce, it’s worth every effort. It’s a flavorful, multi-purpose sauce that you’ll want to enjoy for breakfast on your eggs, in our chicken mole enchiladas, or slathered on crunchy chimichangas.
There’s no wrong way to enjoy mole sauce and we’ve discovered that it also makes the perfect accompaniment to these stuffed poblano peppers with cheese.
Why this Recipe Works
Stuffed poblano peppers are easy to make and are a well-rounded meal!
The poblano peppers make a delicious vessel for all of that goodness. Their mild flavor mellows even more when roasted. The chicken, veggies, herbs, and cheese bake until hot and bubbly. Serve each one on top of a puddle of homemade mole sauce for a truly comforting, Tex-Mex-style dinner.
Our stuffed poblano peppers recipe is:
- cheesy and comforting
- a meal in itself
- no-fuss, with only 30 minutes of prep time before they’re oven-ready
- packed with flavor
The Ingredient List
Zesty, stuffed poblano peppers are easy enough for weeknights and make great leftovers, too.
You will need:
- Poblano peppers, large
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Red bell pepper
- Frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- Canned adobo chipotle pepper, mashed (optional, but it adds a great flavor and kick!)
- Fresh cilantro (for the stuffed poblano pepper filling and garnish)
- Salt and black pepper
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Monterey cheese, shredded
- Egg, lightly whisked
- Olive oil
Let’s Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers
When buying poblano peppers to stuff, choose large peppers and make sure they’re each about the same size. That way, they’ll bake evenly.
Here’s a quick rundown of our stuffed poblano peppers recipe. For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts and all of the details, scroll to the bottom of the page and view the recipe card.
- Prepare the poblano peppers: Wash the peppers and dry them with a paper towel. Slice a triangle-shaped opening out of the side of the peppers, starting about 1 inch below the stem. Lift it out and dice them, then set those diced sections aside. Scoop out the pepper seeds and membranes. Refer to the process photos below to see how we prepped the peppers.
- Make the filling: Combine the grated onion, minced garlic and breadcrumbs, and let it sit for a few minutes. Add the chopped poblanos and stir in the rest of the filling ingredients.
- Fill the poblano peppers: Spoon the mixture into the prepared poblanos and top each one with a tablespoon of cheese. Place the stuffed poblanos on the sheet pan and roast.
- Serve: Transfer the stuffed poblano peppers to a serving platter. Top with your favorite salsa or serve with our homemade mole sauce.
Tips for Making Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Poblano peppers are fairly mild but the seeds and membrane pack some heat, which is why we prefer removing them. An appetizer spoon works well for this.
- When filling the peppers, use a teaspoon or your fingers to press the filling into the inside creases.
- The peppers may not sit entirely level due to their shape, but you can place crumpled up pieces of foil to support them and prop them up when needed.
- Substitutions for the Monterey cheese include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. During the bake time, the skin will separate slightly from the pepper but it’s not necessary to peel them.
Yes, the stuffed poblano peppers will mellow while roasting and take on a slightly sweet flavor.
This recipe makes four stuffed poblano peppers. You can store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What to Serve with Stuffed Poblano Peppers
These are a meal in itself, but you can’t go wrong with a few sides either, especially if you’re looking to prepare a feast! Here are some tasty recipes you’ll enjoy:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Spanish Rice
- Instant Pot pinto beans
This stuffed poblano peppers recipe is flavor-packed and scrumptious! It’s hard to beat cheesy, south-of-the-border comfort food, especially with that authentic mole sauce piled on. Enjoy!
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
Make it a seafood night with our Shrimp Fajitas. This 30-minute dinner is a weeknight go-to with bold, fajita flavors and a creamy chipotle sauce. With only 15 minutes or prep and 15 minutes to cook, add this easy meal to your dinner rotation!
We’re taking everything we love about loaded baked potatoes and Taco night to create these seriously yummy taco baked potatoes. Top them with all of your favorite taco fixings and dig right in.
This easy taco seasoning blend is our go-to! It’s quick to make, ideal to have in your pantry, and with zero preservatives, it’s much healthier than store-bought taco seasoning.
Connect With Savor the Best:
Please follow us on our social media accounts
Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest * Youtube * Twitter
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 large Poblano peppers
- ½ medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced or grated
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1-¼ pound chicken breast cut into bite size
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup frozen whole kernel corn thawed
- 1 canned adobo chipotle pepper mashed (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-½ cups shredded Monterey cheese divided
- 1 large whole egg lightly whisked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the Poblanos:
- Wash the peppers and wipe them dry with a paper towel. Begin about 1-inch below the stem and slice a triangle-shaped opening out of the side of the peppers.
- Lift out the triangle portion of the peppers and dice them. Set the diced sections aside. Scoop out the seeds and membranes inside the peppers.
Make the Filling
- Grate the onion into a large bowl. Add the minced garlic and the breadcrumbs. Stir to combine and let sit for a few minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the juices from the grated onion.
- Add the chopped sections of the poblanos to the breadcrumbs. Stir in the diced chicken, red bell pepper, corn, chipotle (if using), cilantro, seasonings, 1-1/2 cups of cheese and the egg.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared Poblanos. Pack the filling down with a spoon and heap some of the filling on top.
- Add a tablespoon of the remaining cheese to the tops of each poblano. Brush the top of each with olive oil and add a tablespoon of the remaining cheese. Place the peppers on the prepared sheet pan.
- Transfer to the oven and roast for 35-45 minutes until the Poblanos are lightly charred and the center of the filling reaches an internal temperature of 155°F.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with homemade mole sauce or your favorite salsa.
Notes
- When buying poblano peppers select them all in the same size so they bake equally.
- Poblano peppers are fairly mild but the seeds and membrane pack a little heat. An appetizer spoon works well to remove them.
- Use a teaspoon or your fingers to press the filling into the inside creases and folds of the peppers.
- The peppers may not sit level due to their wonky shape but crumpled foil place alongside or beneath will support them in a level position.
- Other options for cheese would be Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mozzarella.
Lynn
Monday 19th of December 2022
Pretty amazing, even on a Keto regimen ! With our Farmers Market here and home grown poblanos, it’s the BOMB! No mole for us…hubby with peanut allergy.
Dahn Boquist
Monday 19th of December 2022
Home grown poblanos sound fantastic. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the comment.