I was thinking about how to use up some jalapenos in our crisper before they all grew furry, and for the first time ever, smoked poppers didn't really strike my fancy. Last night, I grilled a whole chicken for supper and ended up with about one and a half pounds of leftover goodness. I decided to make chicken taco stuffed jalapenos. Not really too inspired, but they smelled like taquitos while they baked, and tasted so very yummy. I even ate a few extra for dessert!
Here it is:
1.5 lbs leftover cooked chicken, cut into chunks and partially shredded
1 cup sour cream
.75 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 chopped green onions
1 medium diced fresh tomato
3-4 TBSP homemade taco seasoning (I made a large batch from here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/ substituting the crushed red pepper for home grown ground chilies and adding a bit more cumin).
16 jalapenos, halved, seeded and soaked for 30 minutes (you still get some heat, but a bit less burn-your-face-off).
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. At this point, if you taste test it like I did, you may be tempted just to eat it as is, like an awesome chicken salad! Hold out for the jalapenos though, because they add such a great dimension of flavor. Stuff your jalapenos, lay on a jelly roll pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Put into a preheated oven set to 375 F. Cook until you can't handle waiting anymore because of the good smells emanating from the oven. Or set your timer to check them after 20 to 25 minutes. :o) Bake them to preferred doneness. My batch ended up with an ever so slightly retained, enjoyable firmness. I made some guacamole to smother them in, along with a garnish of more cheddar cheese and sour cream. Hubby liked them, so I feel pretty good about saying they are worth the effort.
