Do you have a plan for dinner?

A question that I have become quite familiar with. The answer is yes & no. I am normally the one to make dinners. Every week I take some time to vaguely plan out a dinner menu. I write down a few ideas that I might do throughout the week & cross-check it with my fridge, freezer, & pantry.

As we had just run a commuting errand to get some food items, I knew I had poblano peppers to be used. I also knew I had cheese & salsa in the fridge, green bell peppers & jalapenos in the freezer, and rice, canned tomatoes, & taco seasoning in the pantry.

I said that I would make chile rellenos. I said it would be vegetarian. I received a look of disapproval or skepticism. Maybe a combination of the two. As I was pulling my ingredients together, I noticed that there was a leftover chicken thigh in the fridge. I said I could put in the rellenos & received a nonchalant reply but knew that this would be much preferred.

I decided to make half of the rellenos with chicken & half without. While the chicken had more substance, the cheese variation was much creamier & tasted more rich. They were both delicious & depending on your mood or taste preferences, either will satisfy your needs.

While these may not be traditional, they are very good.

Chicken or Cheese Rellenos (serves 2)

• 4 poblano peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 can diced, stewed, or peeled tomatoes with sauce (if you use whole or stewed tomatoes, give them a rough chop)
• 1 cup instant rice
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 tsp taco seasoning (use prepared or make your own…see below)
• 1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 3-4 oz Neufchatel cream cheese
• pulled or shredded cooked chicken (equivalent to 1 thigh or small breast)
• salsa
• sour cream, optional

If you are making your own taco seasoning mix together the following in a small dish…

• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or cayenne
• 1/4 tsp oregano

1.  Place poblano peppers on a cooking sheet & place under broiler. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side until skins are blistered. Place peppers into a bowl & cover with pastic wrap or place in a gallon sized plastic bag. Let sit for 10 minutes & remove skins. Slice open on one side & remove seeds. Add 2 tbsp. cheddar cheese to each pepper. Add 1-2 tbsp. cream cheese. Add salsa as desired. Add pulled chicken to two of the peppers. Close peppers.
2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, green pepper, & jalapeno. Sauté in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat until caramelized. Add the tomatoes & the water. Bring this to a boil & stir in the rice & taco seasoning. Cover & remove from heat. Let sit for 5-8 minutes until rice absorbs liquid.
3. Pour rice into a 9×13 in casserole dish. Top with peppers. Bake in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with additional salsa & sour cream if desired.