jalapeño popper chicken
This recipe was adapted/inspired by these Plant Based Jalapeño Poppers by Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh
Ingredients:
Popper Filling:
1 jalapeño (deveined, seeded and sliced thin)
2 oz (1/4 c) vegan (or regular) cream cheese (allow to come to room temperature)
½ c plant-based (or regular) cheddar cheese
2 tbsp (heaping) cashew sour cream (recipe below)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
Chicken:
1 lb boneless-skineless chicken breast
½ - 1 c gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs
¼ c gluten-free flour blend
1 egg + splash of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro-Lime Crema:
Lime zest of ½ a lime (or more to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
¼ cashew sour cream (recipe below) you can use any plant-based or regular sour cream
1 tsp cilantro (chopped) can be excluded
Cashew Sour Cream:
1 c raw cashews
½ c water
¼ c lemon juice
½ tsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp salt
Instructions:
Prepare sour cream.
Add cashews to a small pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cover, allowing the cashews to soften for 15 minutes.
Drain cashews and combine remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Pulse/blend until you have reached desired texture (adding a little more water if needed). Set aside.
Next, prepare filling - mixing sliced jalapeño, cream cheese, 2 tbsp sour cream, cheddar, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
With three shallow dishes, prepare your dredging station (use dishes that have a bit of a rim and are large enough to fit a chicken breast comfortably). Place flour in one dish and season with salt and pepper. Scramble egg and a splash of water, place in a second dish. Sprinkle about half of your breadcrumbs in a third dish, reserving the other half on the side.
Place your chicken on a cutting board. Using your hand to apply pressure on top of the chicken breast, use a sharp thin knife to make a 2-3 in pocket in the flesh of the chicken (use the thicker side of the breast). Helpul Hint: You want to make sure your knife blade stays parallel to the cutting board – image the tip of your knife making a c-shape within the chicken as you cut. You don’t want the pocket opening to extend the full length of the chicken, it should large enough for you to comfortably stuff the breast, but not so large that the contents of the pocket can easily escape when cooking.
Cover the top of the chicken with a piece of plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat mallet to gently pound the breast until it is about ½ - ¾ in. thick (you want the breast to be uniform in thickness to ensure it cooks evenly). Remove plastic wrap and discard.
Spoon jalapeño filling into the pocket of the chicken and close meat around it.
Dredge stuffed chicken breast in flour (being sure to get the sides and shaking off any excess). Then place chicken in the egg wash, carefully flipping to get coat each side. Lastly, place in the breadcrumbs; sprinkling the reserved breadcrumbs on top and packing the breadcrumbs on the chicken to help them stick (flip if needed to ensure you have an even breading on all sides).
Set prepared breast on a clean plate and repeat the same steps for the rest of your chicken.
In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.When the oil is hot, add the breaded-stuffed chicken breast and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side (until golden brown). Helpful Hint: If trying to determine if your oil is hot enough, sprinkle a little bread crumb in the pan. If the oil begins to bubble and sizzle around the crumbs, you should be good to go.
Remove chicken from pan and place on a baking tray lined with parchment or non-stick foil.
Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of chicken breast – internal temperature should reach 165 °F). Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
While chicken is baking, prepare your Cilantro-Lime Crema (if desired). Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Serve chicken topped with prepared Crema, garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
Tips:
Pair with your favorite grilled corn and tomato salad for a nice, balanced flavor.
Save unused sour cream and crema and drizzle over nachos or tacos!
