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5 from 2 votes

Chicken Tinga Stuffed Peppers

This recipe for chicken tinga stuffed peppers takes a quick stovetop chicken tinga recipe and combines it with fresh bright flavors from fire roasted poblanos a cilantro crema drizzle and an assortment of toppings for an over the top savory meal! Oh, and did I mention it's whole30 & keto friendly?
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion, keto, Latin, Whole 30
Servings: 6
Calories: 346kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tinga

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 onion roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 24 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 4 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 lbs chicken
  • salt and pepper

For the Stuffed Peppers

  • Poblano Peppers
  • 1 sweet potatoe washed, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cumin

For the Cilantro Crema

  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 2 tbsp Coconut milk / Almond Milk
  • 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro
  • 1 Lime juiced
  • Salt and Pepper

For Assembly

  • Lime sliced into wedges
  • Cherry tomatoes diced
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Scallions minced
  • Red Onion thinly sliced
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Avocado sliced

Instructions

Cook the Chicken & Make the Sauce

  • In a saucepan or cast iron skillet, preheat the pan over medium heat.
  • Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan.
  • Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.
  • Add a splash of the chicken broth and deglaze the pan if needed.
  • Add the in the remaining chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover and allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce 30 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the sauce.
  • Using an imersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth in the pan or in a large bowl. Alternatively, working in batches, blend in a food processor or blender.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce and set aside.
  • Shred the chicken and return it to the remaining sauce, and toss to coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fire Roast the Poblano

  • Meanwhile, roast the poblano by charring all sides over an open flame. This can be done over a traditional grill or a a gas oven burner.
  • Alternatively, you can roast the poblanos in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping once at 375°F.
  • Once they have charred on all sides, place them on a sheet of foil and wrap the foil around them. This allows the peppers to steam.
  • After 5 minutes, peel back the foil. Using your hands, remove the charred outer skin from the peppers
  • Using a sharp knife, make a small slit through one side of each pepper.
  • Remove the seeds from the inside and discard.

Cook the Sweet Potato

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Place the diced sweet potato on a baking sheet and toss in 1 tbsp of oil to coat.
  • Season with salt and cumin.
  • Roast the sweet potato on a baking sheet until golden on all sides, about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through cook time.

Assemble and roast the Chicken Tinga Stuffed Peppers

  • Spoon some of the tinga sauce into a cast iron pan.
  • Add the fire roasted poblanos.
  • Spoon a heaping portion of the shredded chicken into each poblano.
  • Repeat until your skillet is full.
  • Return to the preheated oven and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool 3 to 5 minutes.

Make the Cilantro Crema

  • In a small bowl, whisk the mayo, coconut milk, salt, pepper lime juice, and cilantro together until smooth.
  • Set aside or store in an resealable container in the fridge until ready to use.

Garnish and Serve

  • Top the stuffed peppers with the roasted sweet potato, sliced tomatoes, onion, freshly chopped cilantro and a drizzle of the crema.
  • Seaon with salt and pepper if desired and serve with sliced lime and avocado.

Notes

The cilantro crema can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
You can make the chicken tinga in a slow cooker. Simply place all of the chicken tinga ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Follow directions after this step to make the stuffed peppers. 
Store leftovers in an airtight resealable container for up to 3 days. 
Reheat in a cast-iron skillet or on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 350 for 10 to 15 minutes. 
Kicking it on keto? Cut back the sweet potato or omit it entirely to cut down on the carbs. Recipe works with or without it. 
Swap out leftover chicken as a great way to cut down on time for this recipe. Simply make the sauce and omit the cooking time. Simmer shredded leftover chicken to heat through and stuff the peppers and finish the recipe as instructed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5703IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg