Stuffed Pepper Chicken Enchilads

Red bell peppers...I love them. Eric hates them. So, what do you do when you have a recipe called "stuffed pepper chicken enchiladas?" Well, as you can see in my picture, I brought the best of both worlds so that both of us could enjoy this delicious dinner.

 

 

I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Café and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

• 4 ounces light or regular cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/3 cups (single batch) homemade condensed cream of chicken soup (recipe below)  (the equivalent of 1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or rice
• 1-2 cups cooked, diced chicken
• 1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (Eric did not love the beans)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6-8 bell peppers, any color

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray (like a 9X13-inch or slightly smaller).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese and the cream of chicken soup. Add the quinoa (or rice), chicken, beans, cheeses, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Slice the top of each bell pepper off and discard the tops and the seeds.
4. Spoon the mixture into each bell pepper, packing lightly (confession: I mostly used my hands). It's ok to mound it slightly above the top of the pepper.
5. Place the stuffed peppers in the baking dish (if you don't have enough peppers to fill up the dish, aluminum foil rolled into small balls and placed in between the peppers help them stand up straight).
6. Cover the dish with lightly greased aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot. Let the peppers rest for 5 minutes or so before serving. 

Homemade condensed cream of chicken soup:

• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste if needed
• Pinch of dried parsley
• Pinch of paprika
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and all the seasonings to a simmer.
2. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, vigorously whisk the milk and flour together until smooth.
3. While whisking the broth, slowly pour in the flour/milk mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and add additional salt and pepper to taste as needed. Use immediately in a recipe or cool and refrigerate for up to a week. This will thicken much more as it cools.