My husband (who's not one to dish out compliments) said he'd pay restaurant prices for these chicken stuffed poblano peppers.
The secret? Roasting and steaming the peppers so the skins slip right off, giving you tender, melt-in-your-mouth peppers like the chile rellenos at your favorite Mexican food spot.
Fill them with seasoned chicken and quinoa, smother everything in green enchilada sauce and cheese, and bake until bubbly.
What Are Poblano Peppers and Are They Spicy?
Poblano peppers are large, dark green chile peppers with a mild heat. They're a staple in Mexican cooking, most famously as the pepper used in chile rellenos.
If you've avoided them because you're worried about spice, don't be. Poblanos clock in around 1,000–1,500 on the Scoville scale, while jalapeños hit 2,500–8,000. That means jalapeños are roughly 2 to 5 times hotter. Most people find poblanos have a nice bit of warmth. Enough to be interesting, not enough to make anyone reach for a glass of milk.
That said, I know not everyone's into spice like I am and it's helpful to know that most of a pepper's heat lives in the ribs and seeds. In the step-by-step below, you'll remove both, which brings the spice level down even further.
Want to go even milder? Swap in bell peppers for zero heat.
Want more kick? Add a diced jalapeño to the filling, or sprinkle some cayenne into the chicken mixture.
Why Remove the Skins?
When you roast poblano peppers, the outer skin blisters and becomes papery. Most recipes skip removing it because it's an extra step. But peeling that skin off gives you silky, tender peppers that are enjoyable to eat.
The trick is to steam them right after roasting. Transfer the hot peppers to a container with an airtight lid for about 5 minutes. The trapped steam loosens the skins so they slip right off. No fighting with them, no shredded peppers.
🔥One note: poblanos can irritate your skin, so wear gloves during this step if you're sensitive. And whatever you do, don't touch your eyes.
Fun Fact
When poblano peppers are dried, they are then called Ancho Chiles. You might have seen these in stores or on the spice aisle at your grocery store.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This dish is flexible depending on what you have on hand or your dietary needs. Feel free to get creative and make swaps that work for you.
Poblano peppers: Look for large, firm peppers with smooth skin. You'll need 6 to make a full batch. For zero heat, swap in bell peppers.
Cooked chicken: This recipe is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken you have on hand. You'll need about 10 oz, which is roughly 2 cups diced. Swap with cooked ground beef or try crumbled tofu for a vegetarian option.
Quinoa: Any variety works here, and this is another great opportunity to use up leftovers. You'll need 1 ½ cups cooked, which is about ½ cup dry. Swap with rice, farro, or any grain you love.
Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness and color to the filling. Dice it small so it distributes evenly. Swap with diced onion, zucchini, or any vegetable you want to use up.
Pepper jack cheese: The mild kick complements the poblanos without overpowering them. Shred it yourself if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly. Swap with Colby jack, Monterey jack, part-skim mozzarella, or cheddar if you want to skip the spice.
Green enchilada sauce: This another ingredients that sets these stuffed peppers apart. Smothering everything in sauce before baking gives you that saucy, chile relleno experience instead of just cheese on top. Swap with salsa verde, regular salsa, or red enchilada sauce as you like.
Cilantro: Adds freshness to the filling. If cilantro tastes like soap to you, just leave it out.
How to Make Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Step 1: Saute the veggies and chicken
Preheat oven to Broil then heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat then add the 1 finely diced red bell pepper and saute 5 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant. Then add in the 10oz (2 cups) diced cooked chicken, 1 teaspoon chile powder and ½ teaspoon salt and mix so the peppers and chicken are fully coated in spices. Then turn off the heat and put that to the side.
Step 2: Roast the poblano peppers
Line a baking sheet with foil and place you peppers on it. Drizzle the other 1 Tbs olive oil on them and rub them all over so they're lightly oiled. Put the peppers into your preheated oven on Broil and roast for 5 minutes, then turn them over with tongs and roast another 5 minutes until they're blistered. Then turn the oven down to 375F
Step 3: Steam the peppers
Place the roasted poblano peppers into a container with an airtight lid for 5 minutes to help loosen up the skins.
Step 4: Remove the poblano skins
If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves for this step! And no matter what you do, don't touch your eyes as that can burn.
The skins should be somewhat easy to peel off the peppers at this point. You don't have to be perfect, but just remove the larger sections of skin.
Step 5: Remove the seeds and ribs
Once the skins are removed, carefully cut a slit in the side of the pepper, and remove the seeds and ribs.
Also, as you're removing the seeds, try not to tear the bottom of the pepper so that it stays intact enough to make it easy to stuff with filling.
Step 6: Finish prepping the chicken filling
Now that your poblanos are prepped, finish off the filling by adding the 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa, half of the shredded cheese (1 cup / 4oz) and ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro to the skillet with the chicken and mix to combine it all together.
Step 7: Stuff the poblano peppers
Take a scoop of your chicken and quinoa filling and put it inside the pepper, mounding it up so that it's nice and full, then place the stuffed peppers into a baking dish.
Step 8: Top with enchilada sauce
Once all your poblanos are stuffed, pour the 10oz can of green enchilada sauce on top of all of the peppers.
Step 9: Top with cheese and bake
Then top it all off with the remaining 1 cup (4oz) of shredded cheese and bake at 375F for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. If you want a bit more browning on top, turn the broiler on for an additional 2 minutes.
Then garnish and serve with extra cilantro, salsa and guacamole.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can assemble these stuffed poblanos up to a day in advance. Just cover the baking dish and refrigerate until you're ready to bake. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge to the oven.
Joanie's Balanced Bites: What to Eat with Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Blood sugar and balancing our meals is something we pay attention to in our home. We love this dish because it’s already balanced on its own. You've got protein from the chicken, fiber from the quinoa, fat from the cheese. No extra sides required to keep blood sugar steady.
My go-to additions:
- Simple green salad with avocado and lime vinaigrette
- My favorite Charro Beans or refried beans on the side
- Cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a low-carb option
Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
Storage & Reheating Stuffed Peppers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through. This recipe doesn't freeze well since the roasted peppers get mushy when thawed.
More Favorite Mexican Style Dishes
Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers Recipe
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 peppers
- Category: main dish
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Chicken stuffed poblano peppers with quinoa filling, green enchilada sauce and cheese. Restaurant-quality results at home.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 10 oz (2 cups) diced cooked chicken
- 1 tsp chile powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded and divided
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 10 oz green enchilada sauce (or salsa verde)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced red bell pepper and sauté 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add chicken, chile powder, and salt; stir to coat. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Place poblano peppers on the sheet and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, rubbing to coat. Broil 5 minutes, flip with tongs, and broil another 5 minutes until blistered. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
- Transfer roasted peppers to an airtight container for 5 minutes to steam and loosen skins.
- Peel off the loosened skins (doesn't need to be perfect—just remove the larger sections). If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves and avoid touching your eyes.
- Cut a slit in the side of each pepper and remove seeds and ribs, keeping the bottom intact.
- Add quinoa, half the cheese (4 oz), and cilantro to the chicken mixture. Stir to combine.
- Stuff each pepper generously with filling and place in a baking dish.
- Pour enchilada sauce over the stuffed peppers, then top with remaining cheese (4 oz).
- Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly. For extra browning, broil an additional 2 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with salsa and guacamole.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe.
- Shred your own cheese for the best melt. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents like potato starch that affect how smoothly it melts.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don't have to, but it makes a big difference. Removing the skins gives you tender, silky peppers instead of tough, papery ones.
Yes! Bell peppers work great if you want zero heat. No need to remove the skins with bell peppers.
The cheese should be melted and bubbly, with a little browning on top. The filling will be heated through and the peppers will be tender.
Absolutely. Use a larger baking dish or two dishes side by side. Bake time stays about the same.
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