Some of the best dishes I developed seem to have started off as a mistake. This recipe came about because I intended to make bean and cheese stuffed poblano peppers, but the peppers did not hold their shape because I lost my mind and blistered the skins off of them. No, you are not suppose to remove the skin from any pepper when you are stuffing them. I just did not think about what I needed to do for the recipe and went to my default setting of charring hot peppers. So, I ended up with a problem opportunity.
I knew had a couple of cooked chicken breasts in the refrigerator, a can of Rotel tomatoes in the pantry, and a hungry family. So, I improvised a dish that I think was delicious. Plus, I am not sure my daughter would have eaten the stuffed peppers after discovering how much heat the poblano peppers I purchased actually packed. They were HOT. She was able to eat everything except the peppers because everything had been cooked atop instead of inside the peppers.
I topped the skillet meal with mild salsa, but my daughter has requested that I stop doing this and just leave it as an optional topping. I already do that with sour cream, because I am the only one who can and will eat it.
The bottom line is that the opportunity presented by a mistake ended up being the catalyst for a dish that is more than the what was intended.
Chicken, Bean, and Poblano Skillet
Ingredients
- 3 poblano peppers
- 1 can seasoned tomatoes
- 1/2 c. chicken broth/stock
- 1 or 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed or 2 c. cooked black beans
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Adobo seasoning, to taste
- 1 to 2 c. shredded Cheddar Jack cheese, to taste
- salsa (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
- cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Place peppers on a baking sheet and roast in an oven at 400 degrees f or under a broiler until the peppers start to blister and char. Turn as needed. Or char the peppers on a direct flame.
- Place peppers in a heat proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Allow peppers to cool until they can be easily handled and skins removed.
- Peel and split the peppers. Remove the seeds.
- Lay peppers flat in a large skillet that has been lightly sprayed with oil.
- Add tomatoes and chicken stock.
- Mix chicken and beans together with Adobo seasoning.
- Place chicken mixture atop the pepper sin the skillet.
- Sprinkle with the desired amount of shredded cheese.
- Cover skillet with lid or foil and cook on medium until cheese is melted.
- Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, and/or cilantro, as desired.
Notes
Other types of beans can be substituted for the black beans including pinto, kidney, red, etc.
