Teach cooking

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

Tex-mex meets a classic and becomes fast friends in these baked bell peppers stuffed with my favorite enchiladas. Filled with chicken, rice, corn, spinach and cheddar cheese in a spicy cream cheese and green chile sauce.

Ingredients

• olive oil, for sauteing
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces (or 2 + 1/2 - 3 cups cooked)
• coarse salt and fresh black pepper
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
• 1 packed cup finely chopped fresh spinach
• 2 heaping cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 - 5 bell peppers

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 (11 ounce) can Ro-tel diced green chiles and tomatoes
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving

Instructions

1.     Add a tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then cook, turning to brown on all sides.
2.     Once the chicken is cooked through remove to a large bowl and mix with the rice, corn, spinach and 1 + 1/2 cups of the cheese.
3.     In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-low heat, stir in the flour and cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring often. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer 3 more minutes, stirring often.
4.     Turn heat down to low and mix in the Ro-tel, cream cheese and sour cream. Whisk until completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
5.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large roasting pan.
6.     Wash the peppers and cut off the tops. Remove the seeds and the white centers. Place in the roasting pan.
7.     Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Mix about 1 cup of the sauce into the chicken mixture to start, adding more if needed, you want it to be well coated but not swimming in it.
8.     Spoon the stuffing into the peppers. Top with the remaining cheese. Spoon or slowly pour the remaining sauce into the bottom of the pan.
9.     Bake 35 - 40 minutes until peppers are tender. If the tops start to brown too much cover with aluminum foil.
10.     Let sit 5 minutes before serving. To serve spoon sauce onto a plate or dish then top with a pepper and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.