RECIPE: Chicken Breast with Cheese and Poblano in Manchego Crema

This recipe was developed by Cacique, a company that sells some of the ingredients.  Cacique isn't sold where we live so I made substitutions.  I also decided not to roll the breasts - I layered them in the baking dish with the cheese and chiles in between.  It worked, but it was hard to serve, so next time I may slice the breasts into small pieces.  

The flavor was phenomenal - we both loved it!

Original recipe: Chicken Roulade in Mexican Crema

Chicken Breasts with Cheese and Poblano in Manchego Crema

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 T. EVOO
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  
• 4 T. fresh cilantro chopped, divided
  
• 2 T. ground cumin
• 2 t. cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 t. himalayan pink salt
  
• 10 oz melting cheese (I used mozarella) cut into 1/4" slices
  
• 3 large poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded* and cut into 1/4" strips
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 t. Dijon mustard (original recipe called for 1T, but I thought it overwhelmed the sauce)
  
• 1 c. shredded Manchego cheese
  
• Salt and pepper to taste 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F.

Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2" thick.  I had to cut the large pieces in half horizontally to do this.

Mix the chicken breasts with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, 2 T. cilantro, cumin, cayenne and garlic.  Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.  Doesn't that look delicious?  The chicken is good even without the cheese, chiles and sauce!

Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

In a small shallow baking dish, lay half the chicken on the bottom, cover with the melting cheese and half of the poblanos, then layer the remaining breasts on top. My baking dish was 6" x 9"

Chicken, then cheese, then poblanos.

Chicken on the bottom, then cheese, then poblano, then chicken on the top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, puree the remaining poblanos and cilantro in a blender or food processor with the chicken broth and the Dijon mustard.  Bring to a simmer over low heat and stir in the sour cream.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the shredded Manchego.  Stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover to keep warm until the chicken is ready.  Serve immediately over the chicken.

I served this with Blackened Cauliflower and it was a marriage made in heaven!

Blackened Cauliflower on the left, crema in the center, chicken breasts on the right.

 

* I process these in the fall and then freezer them, which greatly simplifies preparation time when I use them!