Roasted poblano peppers are filled with tender seasoned shrimp and melting Oaxaca cheese, then served over a smoky, creamy chipotle sauce. Fresh avocado, crisp red onion, cilantro, and lime provide a bright counterpoint to the rich filling, creating an impressive Mexican-inspired main course with layers of smoke, gentle heat, and freshness.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Difficulty: Level 3 Moderate
Cost: Level 4 Premium
Region / Ethnic Origin: Mexican-inspired

Ingredients

Roasted poblanos

• 4 large poblano peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Shrimp and Oaxaca cheese filling

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 6 ounces Oaxaca cheese, shredded or pulled into thin strands

Creamy chipotle sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, plus more to taste
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup Mexican crema or full-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

For serving

• 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

Instructions

Roast the poblanos

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Rub the poblano peppers lightly with olive oil and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and charred in several places but the peppers remain firm enough to hold the filling.
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, gently peel away the loose blistered skin. Do not rinse the peppers.
5. Cut a lengthwise slit down one side of each poblano, leaving the stem intact. Carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Season the interiors lightly with salt and set aside.

Prepare the shrimp

6. Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry and cut into bite-size pieces, leaving some pieces slightly larger for texture.
7. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add the shrimp, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp begin turning opaque. Keep them slightly underdone because they will finish cooking inside the poblanos.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Set aside to cool slightly.

Make the creamy chipotle sauce

10. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
11. Add the chipotle chile, adobo sauce, chicken broth, and cumin. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to develop and concentrate the flavors.
12. Carefully blend the mixture until completely smooth.
13. Return the sauce to low heat and whisk in the Mexican crema. Heat gently without allowing the sauce to boil.
14. Stir in the lime juice and salt. Taste and adjust with additional adobo sauce or salt as needed. The sauce should be creamy, smoky, moderately spicy, and bright enough to balance the cheese.

Stuff and finish the poblanos

15. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
16. Divide approximately half of the Oaxaca cheese among the poblano peppers.
17. Spoon the shrimp mixture evenly over the cheese, then top with the remaining Oaxaca cheese. Gently bring the sides of each poblano around the filling without completely closing them.
18. Return the stuffed poblanos to the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the shrimp are just cooked through.
19. For additional browning, place the poblanos briefly under the broiler, watching carefully to prevent scorching.

Plate and serve

20. Spoon a generous pool of warm creamy chipotle sauce onto each plate.
21. Place one stuffed poblano over the sauce.
22. Arrange avocado slices alongside or partially over the poblano. Finish with thinly sliced red onion and fresh cilantro.
23. Drizzle very lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Cook’s Notes

Don’t overcook the shrimp: The initial skillet cooking is intentionally brief. Finishing the shrimp inside the stuffed poblanos keeps them tender and juicy.

Keep the poblanos intact: Roast them until blistered and tender but not so soft that they collapse when stuffed.

Do not rinse roasted poblanos: Gently peeling or wiping away the loosened skin preserves substantially more roasted chile flavor than rinsing them under water.

Control the chipotle: Chipotles in adobo vary in heat. Begin with one chile and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, then increase only after tasting.

Mexican crema versus sour cream: Mexican crema creates the silkiest, most pourable sauce. Full-fat sour cream works well but may require an additional splash of chicken broth.

Oaxaca cheese: Pulling the cheese into thin strands produces excellent pockets of melted cheese around the shrimp. Monterey Jack is the best readily available substitute.

Balance matters: The final squeeze of lime is important. Shrimp, melted Oaxaca cheese, avocado, and crema are all rich ingredients, and the fresh acidity prevents the finished dish from becoming heavy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice. Its fresh lime and cilantro echo the flavors in the stuffed poblanos while the relatively simple rice absorbs some of the creamy chipotle sauce.

Steve’s Signature Texas Pinto Beans make a heartier accompaniment, particularly when the poblanos are served as the centerpiece of a larger dinner.

Warm corn tortillas are also excellent for capturing the extra chipotle sauce. For a lighter meal, accompany the poblanos with a simple cabbage or lettuce salad dressed with lime.

Beverage Suggestions

Nonalcoholic

Brazilian Limeade is the strongest pairing from the Carter Family Recipes collection. Its pronounced fresh lime flavor and creamy character complement the roasted poblano and chipotle while its acidity cuts through the Oaxaca cheese, crema, and avocado.

Limonada de Coco – Frozen Colombian Coconut Limeade provides a cooler, tropical counterpoint. Coconut softens the chipotle heat while lime keeps the pairing bright enough for the shrimp.

Agave Lemonade offers the lightest of the three pairings. Its clean citrus acidity refreshes the palate without competing with the more complex chile, shrimp, and cheese flavors.

Of these, Brazilian Limeade is the preferred pairing for this recipe.

Adult beverages

A classic margarita made with fresh lime juice is an especially natural pairing, with enough acidity to balance the cheese and crema while complementing the poblano and chipotle.

A crisp Mexican lager with lime is a lighter choice that refreshes the palate without overwhelming the shrimp.

Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño also work particularly well with the shrimp, cilantro, lime, and moderate chile heat.

Variations

Crab and shrimp: Replace up to half of the shrimp with lump crabmeat. Fold the crab gently into the cooked shrimp just before stuffing the peppers.

Fire-roasted corn: Fold 1/2 cup charred corn kernels into the shrimp mixture for sweetness and another layer of roasted flavor.

Extra-hot: Add a second chipotle chile to the sauce or leave a small amount of the poblano membranes intact.

Milder: Reduce the adobo sauce to 1 to 2 teaspoons and omit the whole chipotle chile.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover stuffed poblanos and chipotle sauce separately in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat the poblanos in a 350°F oven until just warmed through. Avoid excessive reheating because the shrimp can become tough.

Warm the chipotle sauce separately over low heat, stirring frequently. Add a small splash of chicken broth if necessary to restore its original consistency. Do not boil