Monday, December 3, 2007

Baked Chicken Chiles Rellenos

¡Hola! I am a yummy chicken chile relleno.

When I first discovered the joy that is Mexican food, I was blown away by a little dish called chiles rellenos. While this recipe is pretty different from the real thing, it gives a slightly Mexican spin to your typical chicken dish. These baked chicken rolls are flavorful and creative, each with cheese and chile peppers nestled inside. They are also low fat (holla at the health conscious!).

I used a saucepan to pound the chicken since we don't own a meat mallet, which created a lot of ruckus in the kitchen. Steve was so amused at this part of the cooking process, he decided to take a picture. Here I am, taking out my stress on the chicken. Hey, it's cheaper than therapy.


Baked Chicken Chiles Rellenos

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 4-ounce can whole green chile peppers, rinsed, seeded and cut in half length-wise (6 pieces total)
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 6 2x1/2-inch sticks
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 8-ounce jar red salsa

Place a chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound meat lightly into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap and repeat with remaining chicken breast halves. In a shallow dish combine flour, cornmeal and red pepper. Place egg and water in another shallow dish, and beat lightly to combine. For each roll, place a chile pepper half near the edge of a chicken piece. Place a stick of cheese on the chile pepper. Sprinkle with some cilantro and black pepper. Fold in on sides, and roll up, starting from the edge with the chile pepper and cheese. Secure with wooden toothpicks. Dip chicken rolls in egg mixture, and coat with cornmeal mixture. Place rolls seam side down in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove toothpicks, and serve warmed salsa over chicken.

18 comments:

  1. I love the orange wall(s)! And also the fact that you're tenderizing your chicken with a pot. That's gold.

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  2. Wow, that looks better than any chile rellenos that I've ordered at a restaurant! Yum!

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  3. What a brilliant new way to make these!

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  4. Cheese? Chile peppers? You've got me - these sound fantastic. I actually made something similar recently, called Mexican Chicken Cordon Bleu - it also used chiles & monteray jack, but I look forward to trying this recipe, thanks!

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  5. That looks DELICIOUS! I am defintiely going to print out the recipe and add it to my things-to-cook pile. I have been looking for something yummy to make for dinner!

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  6. Mmmm, yummy. I love coming up with new things to do to chicken, because it's so inexpensive and healthy and easy! Oh, and the BEST meat tenderizer EVER is one that I got from Williams Sonoma (obviously). It's called the Reversible Meat Tenderizer and can be found at the store or on their website. One side it flat for just pounding meat, and the other has spikes for tenderizing it and making little tiny holes that absorb marinades etc. Amazing.

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  7. Those definitely look tasty. I'm usually hesitant to anything with chiles but I may have to try it out.

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  8. Looks lovely darling. Your creation kind of looks like a dressed up and colorful tofurky (in shape and form).

    I have a great crockpot "chili rellenos" dish that involves layered chilis and cheese, a pile of eggs, and a can of diced tomatoes.

    Onolicious!

    You are good inspiration to be a more consistant blogger.

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  9. You brat! That pic is making my mouth water!!! Mmmmm....

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  10. ooooh..chile rellenos...double that oohness for your baked chicken version!

    Mexican food (good mexican food) are difficult to come by here. Either they "water down" the real thing for italian palates or they only serve stuff that seems exotic enough to merit the mex label (read: mint mojito). I just want to hack a fur ball when italians we know rave about a place that in my mind, would merit the scorn of all true lovers of authentic mexican cookery!

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  11. That picture made my mouth water. I'm not showing this to the hubby. He might get ideas. I can't cook to save my life.

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  12. hot damnn those look delishhhh!!! thanks for the recipe!

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  13. Wow these look AMAZING. Mmmm....

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  14. Yum! I'm going to make it this week! I've been on an almost all mexican diet and have most of the ingrediants at home. Thanks for recipe!

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  15. Okay, that looks delicious! I will be adding that recipe to my list of dinners to try! Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Those look great! I'm gonna have to try it out soon

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  17. I dont know what to say about this. i like corn

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  18. i think chicken is bad for you. i do think that chicken is good for the heart.

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