Chicken stuffed poblano peppers with quinoa are an explosion of flavor. Shredded chicken, quinoa and cheese fill mildly spicy poblanos for a Mexican-inspired feast. These Mexican stuffed peppers are also topped with a cool and creamy avocado cream sauce that will delight your tastebuds.
Many years ago a recipe for "Fake-Out Shrimp Fried Rice" landed me a spot on the Dr. Oz show. I made a healthier fried rice dish using quinoa and shrimp along with lots of veggies. Since then I have incorporated quinoa into many of my family dinners. This chicken stuffed poblano pepper recipe has quinoa in it instead of rice. I think it's delicious this way!
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a great ingredient to have in your diet. Technically it is considered a seed rather than a grain. It has lots of fiber, folate and magnesium along with other nutrients. It is easy to cook in advance and keep in your refrigerator. You can buy it already cooked in the frozen food department too. Just reheat it in your microwave and it's ready to use. Or you could cook a batch in your pressure cooker or instant pot and it will be all ready to use.
Eating quinoa by itself is pretty plain and boring. It doesn't have a ton of flavor and needs to be spiced up. I like to add it to things and putting it in chicken stuffed poblano peppers is my new favorite way.
Ingredients Needed
- Peppers – Select poblano peppers for a medium spice. If you prefer a milder flavor you can substitute bell peppers in any color.
- Olive Oil – Or use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil.
- Onions – Use what you have on hang. Both red or white onions will taste great.
- Garlic – I prefer to use freshly grated garlic.
- Tomatoes – Red Gold diced tomatoes with chiles have a great flavor. You could also use fire roasted tomatoes.
- Quinoa – This high protein grain is a great alternative to rice. It's easy to make Instant Pot quinoa.
- Chicken – This recipe is perfect for using up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
- Cheese – I selected a low-fat cheddar but use your favorite melting cheese. Regular cheddar, Monterey jack or pepper jack would also be tasty.
- Cilantro – Cilantro adds a bright, fresh flavor.
- Salt and Pepper – Add to taste.
- Avocado – One ripe avocado.
- Sour Cream – You can reduce the calories and fat by using light sour cream or substitute regular if you prefer.
- Chili Powder – Chili powder gives the avocado cream a classic Mexican flavor.
How To Make Poblano Stuffed Peppers
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Fill a large deep dish baking pan with half an inch of water. Lay the pepper halves in the pan and set aside.
- Make the filling. In a frying pan, saute onions and garlic in oil for 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add quinoa and chicken to the pan, stir and cook until bubbly. Add 1 cup of the cheese (reserve ½ cup), cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and remove from heat.
- Stuff the peppers. Divide the chicken mixture among the pepper halves. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are tender. Uncover the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Prepare the avocado cream. While peppers are baking, mix together avocado, sour cream and chili powder.
- Garnish and serve. Serve the cooked peppers with the avocado cream and garnish with extra cilantro if desired.
Tips for Making Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Try to pick peppers that are similar in size so that they cook evenly.
- If peppers start to get too well done on the bottom, add a bit of extra water to the pan in the middle of cooking so that they do not burn.
- Make sure all seeds are removed as they can make the pepper spicier if not.
- Cut the peppers lengthwise. This provides plenty of room for the stuffing mixture.
- For easy prep, make the stuffed peppers in advance, refrigerate then bake when you need them. Baking time should be increased by about 5 minutes. Here are ways and tips to reheat your stuffed peppers.
FAQs
Poblano peppers have medium heat and are not super spicy but do have a small kick when eating them. Feel free to use small bell peppers if you prefer no spiciness.
I bake them for about 50 minutes and they come out very tender. If you would like them more on the crisp or softer side you can cook them for more or less time depending on your preference.
More Stuffed Pepper Recipes
- Italian Stove Top Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Lentils and Rice
- Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers from Veal.org
Side Dishes To Serve With Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
This dish was a meal in itself. The night we ate it, I even skipped making a salad but here are a few tasty suggestions if you've got a big appetite.
- Super Easy Mexican Guacamole
- Avocado, Tomato and Arugula Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
- Mexican Street Corn Salad from Suburban Soap Box
These Mexican stuffed peppers are a wonderful dinner if you'd like something a little different than your ordinary stuffed bell pepper. If you try it, I don't think you'll be disappointed!
If you like Mexican stuffed peppers, please leave a 5-star rating.
RECIPE
Chicken And Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos With Avocado Cream
Ingredients
- 4 medium size poblano peppers seeded and split in half (long way)
- 2 TBS olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 10 oz can diced tomatoes I used Red Gold with chiles
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 ½ cups low fat cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 avocado mashed
- ½ cup light sour cream
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a large deep dish baking pan with half an inch of water. Lay the pepper halves in the pan and set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium and saute onions and garlic for 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add quinoa and chicken to the pan, Stir well and cook until bubbly.
- Add 1 cup of the cheese (reserve ½ cup), cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and remove from heat.
- Stuff the pepper halves with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are tender. Uncover the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- While peppers are baking, mix together avocado, sour cream and chili powder.
- Serve the cooked peppers with the avocado cream and garnish with extra cilantro if desired.
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Subscribe to Jersey Girl Cooks if you would like more recipes and cooking tips sent to your email. You can also order my Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners and follow me on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Kate
Oh man - I am seeing avocado cream just about everywhere!
Ramona
I love poblano peppers. Awesome recipe.
Tawcan
That looks interesting. We've been trying to find more quinoa recipes. This looks like a good one to give it a try.
Angela
These sound amazing--and how did I miss that you were on Dr. Oz???
Melissa | The Kitchen Canister
Wow, these look really yummy. I love quinoa and need more recipes that incorporate it.
teresa
how cool that you were on doc oz! this looks wonderful, i really need to make stuffed peppers more, they're so delicious!
Pam
My idea of the perfect meal... they look amazing.
patsy
I've been searching for ways to try quinoa and this looks like one my family will enjoy!
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
These sound absolutely amazing. I've actually never tried Quinoa before, but the more I keep hearing about it, I think I need to change that.
Lisa @ Snappy Gourmet
Lisa, these look great! I've been trying to get a little more quinoa in our diet around here. 🙂
Kristin
These look amazing! I am always looking for ways to incorporate quinoa into our meals. This recipe is a must-try!
Karen Harris
These look so good. How in the heck did I miss you on Dr. Oz?
vanillasugarblog
that cream sauce!
I could drink that!
kellypea
We love quinoa and like you I enjoy adding it to dishes instead of rice. This looks pretty tasty! I can't pass up a gorgeous, stuffed poblano. One of my favorite flavors.
Carole
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole's Chatter is collecting links to posts about Mexican dishes and flavours. I do hope you link this one in. This is the link . Please do pop back to check out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Have a great week.
Carole
Lisa, thanks for joining the link up for Food on Friday on Carole's Chatter. I hope you enjoyed looking at some of the other links. I have been reading them all and must say my Mexican cravings are now almost out of control! Cheers
Ps I am signing up to follow your blog. A follow back would be great – or maybe you have already?
Zoë
Trying this tonight! Can't wait. I have made an avocado cream with other Mexican dishes, and subbing the sour cream for plain yogurt is a lighter alternative that is just as tasty!
Heavensgirl
I fixed these for dinner and my husband asked what is this? They tasted better than they look. Will fix again.
slp2go
I made this again last night. I usually use leftover grilled chicken and the quinoa is yummy. It goes together quickly and as it cooks, you have time to make oven baked zucchini sticks and a salad. Perfect summer dinner. (tasty even without the avocado cream)
Karol
The recipe was delish but I think I was mislead by the water in the pan? I kept the water in the pan with the stuffed peppers. They ended up delish but were a bit soggy and I think would have been better if there was only a small bit of water splashed in, or just on some oil in the pan. Very yummy!
lisa
My water usually evaporates and I like my peppers very cooked. Yes, next time add less water! Thank you as I will make a note in my recipe also!