Poppin' Poblano Peppers

I love Mexican Food! There, I said it!!  But the majority of the time there are not many recipes found in mainstream Mexican Restaurants that are healthy for our bodies.  I created one of my new favorite recipes so that I can still have a little taste of Mexico.

This is not a spicy recipe.  Poblano peppers are a chili pepper originating from Mexico and although some varieties of the Poblano can be a bit spicy, the peppers in this recipe are the green variety.  Remember when you are purchasing your peppers at the grocery store, buying poblano peppers with hints of red on the skin will intensify heat.  So, stick with the green ones if you're a wimp like me!  Poblanos are full of Vitamin C, FIber & Potassium.  To up the vegetable count and nutrients, I have also snuck in a couple veggies that really pack in some healthy nutrients. Don't worry, you can't taste it!

Poppin' Poblano Peppers

5 poblano peppers, seeded, veined
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
salt
pepper
2 chicken breasts, cubed
lime juice from 1 lime
1/4c chopped cilantro
1/4c chopped fresh parsley
1/2c kale, chopped
1/2c refried beans
3/4c low fat cheddar cheese, shredded


(beware, canned refried beans have a TON of sodium in them.  So, along with this dish, I make my own pot of pinto beans, then mash 1/2c and add to this recipe.)

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

Prepare a glas baking dish by spritzing with olive oil.  Take your seeded and veined poblanos and going lengthwise cut in half.  Place your pablano peppers skin side down in the baking dish and set aside.

In a skillet on medium heat, spritz with olive oil, add your onion, garlic, tomato, salt and pepper.  Saute until tender.  Pour into glass bowl and set aside.

Spritz your skillet with olive oil again, add cilantro, parsley, kale, salt, pepper & lime juice from 1 lime.  Quickly add your cubed chicken. (I like to cube mine very fine so that my chicken mixture is not overflowing my poblanos.) Saute chicken until almost cooked through 3-4 minutes.  Add the onion mixture and continue to saute until chicken is cooked through.  Add mashed or refried beans and mix thouroughly.  Poor into glass bowl & add 1/2c cheddar cheese stirring until melted.  Spoon chicken mixture into poblano peppers and top with rest of cheddar cheese.

Bake peppers for 30-35 minutes or until peppers are soft and tender and cheese is golden brown.