Cilantro Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Poblano Chile Sauce Food

POBLANO AND PEPPER JACK-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ANCHO CHILE CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the poblano and pepper jack-stuffed chicken breasts: Roast the poblano peppers over an open flame until completely charred, transfer to a plastic bag and seal for 10 minutes. Peel the charred skin, remove all the seeds and cut each pepper in half.
• Meanwhile, put chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound with a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil, heat, then add the chicken and cook until the first side is golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden-brown, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the ancho chile cream sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan and cook until reduced by 1/3. Add the Cajun spice and ancho chile powder and simmer for another minute or so. Keep warm.
• When the chicken is done, cut each piece into 2 equal halves. Lay one piece in the centers of 2 dinner plates and top each with 2 poblano halves, 1 piece of pepper jack, and another piece of chicken. Pour half of the Ancho Chile Cream Sauce over the tops and serve immediately.

CHICKEN STUFFED POBLANO CHILES

Steps:

• While using gloves, wash the poblano chilies and using a sharp paring knife, cut a slit lengthwise from stem to tip of chile leaving stem in tact.
• Carefully cut away the seeds and membrane rinse the inside of the chilies and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, add chopped onions and garlic.
• Cook until onions begin to turn golden, stirring frequently.
• Add the diced chicken, sprinkle with seasoning salt and cook until chicken is almost cooked through; add tomato and mushrooms, continue to cook until chicken is done.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• With remaining tablespoon olive oil, lightly oil the outside of the chilies and place them cut side up in casserole dish.
• Pack the chicken mixture into chilies and push cheese into mixture along the slit.
• Cover dish, place in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes; remove cover the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking.
• Serve on top of a bed of saffron rice.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE WITH SMOKED CHILE CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat grill. Mix together the goat cheese, olives, red pepper and thyme in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay each breast out and fill with the cheese mixture. Brush the breasts with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste, secure with toothpicks. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
• In a blender, combine the poblanos, onion and lime juice and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil slowly until emulsified. Add the spinach and cilantro and blend until smooth. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

CILANTRO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH POBLANO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler and lightly brush a shallow baking pan with some oil. Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl stir together with cilantro and salt. Pat chicken dry and trim any fat.
• To form a pocket in chicken for cilantro filling: Put a chicken breast half on a cutting board and, beginning in middle of 1 side of breast half, horizontally insert a sharp thin knife three fourths of the way through center, moving knife in a fanning motion to create a pocket. (Opening will only be about 1 inch wide.) Make pockets in remaining chicken breast halves in same manner. Put about 1/2 tablespoon filling into each pocket and with finger spread evenly. Transfer chicken to baking pan and brush with remaining oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and broil 5 to 6 inches from heat 7 minutes. Turn chicken over and broil until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Serve chicken with sauce.

CILANTRO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Make 3-inch-long cut in one long side of each chicken breast to form pocket, being careful to not cut all the way though to opposite side of chicken. Place chicken in bowl; drizzle with 1/4 cup dressing. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup cilantro, garlic and remaining dressing. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Spoon about 3 Tbsp. crumb mixture into pocket in each chicken breast; place on foil-covered baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 25 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). About 5 min. before chicken is done, cook tomatoes just until warmed.
• Combine cheese and remaining cilantro. Top chicken with tomatoes; sprinkle with cheese mixture.

CHICKEN BREASTS IN POBLANO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Pound chicken breasts flat and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rub poblano with olive oil and place on a foil covered baking sheet and roast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until skin blackens.
• Remove from oven and rub off outer skin with a towel ( I use a damp paper towel).
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.
• Add flour and stir over medium heat until thick.
• In a blender or food processor,pure'e half of the poblano together with the milk.
• Add to the flour mixture, mix well, and whisk in heavy cream.
• Cook over low heat until thick and bubbly, stirring often. Add salt to taste.
• Melt remaining butter in an ovenproof pan over medium-high heat and sear chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side.
• Cut remaining poblano in strips.
• Cover chicken breasts with poblano strips,sauce and cheese.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

CHEESY POBLANO-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Make 2-inch-long cut in one long side of each chicken breast to form pocket; fill with cheddar, mushrooms and chiles. Press cut edges of pockets together to seal.
• Whisk egg in pie plate. Combine parsley and Parmesan in separate pie plate. Dip chicken, 1 breast at a time, in egg, then in parsley mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides of each breast. Place in 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

POBLANO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Lay whole peppers (chiles or bell peppers) on their sides on racks of gas stove burners (preferably 1 to a burner) and turn flame on high. Roast peppers, turning them, until skins are blistered and have brown patches, 3 to 6 minutes. Do not overchar bell peppers; they will lose their bright color. (Alternatively, peppers may be roasted in same manner on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers (wear rubber gloves when handling chiles). Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs. Chop peppers. Peppers may be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Chop garlic and chop enough onion to measure 1 cup. In a nonstick skillet cook garlic and onion in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Skim fat from broth. Stir in broth and peppers and simmer 1 minute. In a blender puree mixture until completely smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and season with salt.