Fridge Leftovers

There was a ton of leftover chicken. There were peppers about to go soft. What's a girl to do? Make Chicken Stuffed Peppers of course! This was pretty good. Not sure if I would make it again although I love the stuffing (heck it's just chicken and cheese, what's not to love!). I guess maybe it was the sauce? Good but a lot of work and I wanted something spicy! Mr. Lawyer broke out some tabasco. But it smelled so delicious and winter-homey while it was simmering. Maybe I need some new chili powder. 

Things I changed: I used bell peppers because that's what I had. Our chicken was already cooked so I just tossed it with some taco seasoning. Of course I changed the cheese. Everyone knows that monterey jack is weakling of cheese, I amped it up with some Cabot Cheddar (no surprise there right?).

Chicken Stuffed Peppers with Enchilada Sauce

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
4 large Anaheim chile peppers
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons hot chili powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 (1 ounce) square bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. Place the chicken, taco seasoning mix, and water into a resealable plastic zipper bag, seal, and massage the bag with your fingers to mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.
2. Cut the stem and top 1/2 inch from the top of each pepper, and carefully remove the seeds without cutting holes or breaking skin of the peppers. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and immerse the peppers in the boiling water for 3 minutes; cool immediately in a bowl of cold water. Drain the peppers and set aside.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and chili powder, and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the chocolate until it melts and blends into the sauce. Allow the sauce to gently simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. Drain the marinated chicken breasts, and place into a skillet over medium heat. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes; remove chicken to a bowl, and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken meat, and lightly mix in a bowl with Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, and cilantro. Stuff each pepper with 1/4 of the chicken mixture, and place on a baking sheet.
5. Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
6. Broil the stuffed peppers until blistered and hot, about 4 1/2 minutes per side. Serve with sauce.

Pre-sauce. Look at that golden cheddar.