Tortilla Crusted Chicken Rellenos with Cilantro Sauce

It seems as time goes on I collect fewer and fewer cookbooks. Sometimes I come across the must haves, which simply means that if there is more than 3 recipes I would enjoy the cookbook ends up on my shelves. More and more I am turning to the Internet to find new recipes, which of course would include all the fantastic blogs out there!! I entered an event in the blogging world not long ago, so, went in search of recipes using chipotle chilies. Chipotle are smoked chilies that lend a delicate heat to your dishes. When I first went to buy the chilies everywhere I looked seemed to be chipotle free!!! Once I knew where to look now I see them everywhere!! Isn't that always the way????


I came across a Chipotle pesto from Olivieri the other day which I added to the sauce in this dish instead of using jalapenos peppers and cilantro. It makes a very flavourful dip for the chicken and takes away some of the heat from the peppers in the chicken rouladen. I found this recipe on the Internet of course. It was the Grand Prize winning recipe in a "Pilgrim's Pride" chicken contest. For the coating it utilizes crushed tortilla chips which adhered to the chicken rouladen very well when dipped in the buttermilk. The flavours just explode in your mouth!!! But watch the HEAT!!!!!!!! I hope that next time poblano chilies will be available because they are not as hot for those of us who are a little more timid. It is great no matter what though!!!I served it with Mexican Rice , a simple tossed salad and a Mexican flatbread from the bakery.

**Tortilla Crusted Chicken Rellenos with Cilantro Sauce**

• 2/3 cup dairy sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 4 scallions (green onions) chopped finely, green tops included
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced (I used Olivieri Chipotle Pesto)
• 3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
• 4 small poblano peppers ( I used jalapenos because it was what I could find: maybe a little too hot for me!!!!)
• 6 oz Pepper Jack cheese, cut into 4 strips (1-1/2 oz) each
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

To make Cilantro Sauce, place sour cream in medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro. Stir to blend well, cover and refrigerate until serving.

Roast whole poblano peppers over hot grill, under broiler or over gas flame of stove. Turn frequently to ensure even roasting and cook until skin is charred and blistering. Place roasted peppers in plastic bag to steam. When cool enough to handle, cut vertical slit in peppers and remove seeds and stem ends. Remove skins by gently scraping with knife. Rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and stuff each pepper with 1-1/2 stick of cheese. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and flatten with meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Place cheese filled pepper in centre of each breast. Fold sides over and roll up, enclosing pepper completely. Secure with wooden toothpicks. Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Place crushed tortillas in separate dish and add seasonings, stirring to blend. One by one, dip stuffed chicken in buttermilk and roll in tortilla mixture, pressing lightly to coat all sides. Set aside.

Place oil in a large non-stick skillet and heat on medium high. Place chicken in hot skillet and carefully saute about 3 - 5 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove chicken to baking sheet coated with baking spray. Bake in preheated oven 20 - 25 minutes until chicken is done and temperature on meat thermometer is 160F.

To serve, remove toothpicks, place on serving plate and serve with Cilantro Sauce.

Serves 4