This Creamy Poblano Chicken is so flavorful and delicious. The poblano sauce is rich, and a little spicy, and the chicken is juicy. It's the perfect meal to change your weeknight dinner routine. Serve it with rice or pasta to soak up that delicious sauce.
Would you like to save this?
This recipe will be your new favorite if you love creamy, savory sauces with a mild kick! The poblanos add a subtle heat that pairs perfectly with tender, juicy chicken. The jalapeño brings a little spice, while the cream and broth make the sauce velvety smooth.
I have been on a big poblano kick recently. The peppers are so flavorful, and when made into a sauce, they make every dish 10x better.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Poblano Chiles - You will need 2 medium-sized poblano chiles or 1 ½ large chiles.
Onion - This gives the sauce a slightly sweet touch. Use a red or yellow onion for the best flavor. You can also omit it if you don't have or like onions.
Jalapeño Pepper - You will need half a jalapeño (including the seeds) to give this dish a mild spice level. If you prefer just a little kick, scoop out the seeds. If you don't have a kick, omit the jalapeño completely.
Butter - It helps cook the vegetables and chicken; you can also use your preferred cooking oil.
Garlic - If you don't have fresh garlic, use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Flour - I used all-purpose flour to thicken up the sauce. You can use cornstarch as a thickening agent if you don't have flour.
Chicken Broth - It's the base of the creamy, flavorful poblano sauce. You can also use vegetable broth or stock. I wouldn't use beef broth as it would give the sauce a different flavor.
Heavy Cream - It gives the sauce a rich, velvety texture. If you don't have heavy cream, you can also use half-n-half or milk, but the sauce will not be as rich, thick, and creamy.
Chicken Breast - You can also use chicken thighs for this recipe. The cooking time should be similar to thinly sliced chicken breasts. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
White Rice - I used rice as the base of this meal because it soaks up all the creamy poblano sauce. Penne or fettuccine pasta works well as an alternative.
Seasoning - I used a basic blend of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to season my chicken. Feel free to adjust the seasonings, but avoid red-colored spices like chili powder, which will mix with the green sauce to create a weird-colored sauce (I made that mistake once).
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make Poblano Chicken
Step 1 | Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to package instructions and set aside.
Step 2 | Make the poblano sauce: Sauté the onions, poblanos, and jalapeño in butter until soft, then blend with garlic, chicken broth, cream, and flour until smooth.
Step 3 | Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half to create thinner cutlets and season them with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 4 | Cook the chicken: Sear the seasoned chicken cutlets in butter until golden brown and cooked through.
Step 5 | Combine with sauce: Pour the blended poblano sauce over the chicken and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the flavors meld.
Step 6 | Serve: Serve the chicken over a bed of rice and top with the creamy poblano sauce.
Tips
Chicken Thickness: If you're slicing the chicken breasts in half, aim for evenly thin cutlets so they cook through at the same time. If you're not sure how to slice a chicken breast, check out this YouTube video. You can also use pre-cut, thinly sliced chicken breast.
Common Questions
It has a mild spice from the poblano and jalapeño peppers, but you can easily adjust the heat by removing the jalapeño seeds or omitting the jalapeño entirely.
Yes! You can make the sauce a day in advance and reheat it when you're ready to cook the chicken. Just store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container.
Have you tried this recipe yet? I'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below or tag @MeganVsKitchen on social.
Poblano Chicken
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 1 cup white rice uncooked
For the sauce:
- 2 poblano chiles diced
- ¼ onion diced
- ½ jalapeño pepper with seeds, diced
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For the chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds, sliced in half (see instructions)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook Rice
- Follow the package instructions for cooking the rice. Once cooked, set aside.
Make Suace
- While the rice cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions, poblanos, and jalapeño. Cook until softened, for about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Remove the vegetables from the skillet and transfer them to a blender.
- Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and flour to the blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Cook Chicken
- Using a sharp knife, carefully slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner cutlets. (link if need help) Alternatively, you can use pre-cut thin chicken breasts.
- Season both sides of the chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Wipe down the skillet you used for the sauce and return it to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the chicken cutlets. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is seared on the outside (internal temperature should reach 165°F).
- Reduce the heat to low and pour the blended poblano sauce over the chicken in the skillet.
- Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or the chicken is 165°F.
- Add cooked rice to each plate. Top with the chicken and spoon the creamy poblano sauce over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!