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Skillet Night
Mexican 3 min read

Chicken Rajas con Crema Skillet

Chicken rajas con crema skillet simmers strips of chicken with roasted poblano peppers in a mild creamy sauce in about 35 minutes. Cozy Mexican weeknight dinner.

Rajas con crema is strips of roasted poblano in a mild, creamy sauce — comforting without being heavy. Adding chicken turns it into a full skillet dinner instead of a taco filling.

Char the poblanos while you slice the chicken and you are eating in about 35 minutes. Tortillas on the side are strongly encouraged.

Ingredients

Chicken and rajas

  • 3 poblano peppers (about 12 oz / 340 g)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
  • 1 1/4 lb (567 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 medium white onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with 1 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 cup (57 g) shredded Monterey Jack, optional
  • Warm corn tortillas or cooked rice, for serving
  • Lime wedges and cilantro, for serving

Method

  1. Char poblanos over a gas flame or under the broiler until blistered, 6–8 minutes, turning often. Seal in a bowl covered with a plate 5 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice into strips (rajas).
  2. Meanwhile season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes until browned and mostly cooked; transfer to a plate.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add onion with remaining 1/2 tsp salt; cook 4–5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic 30 seconds.
  4. Add poblano strips and broth; simmer 2 minutes. Return chicken. Reduce heat to low; stir in crema until smooth. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes — do not boil hard or the crema may split.
  5. Top with cheese if using; cover 1 minute to melt. Finish with cilantro and lime. Serve with tortillas or rice.

Cook's note

Poblanos are mild; if yours taste grassy-bitter, rinse peeled strips under water. Crema is more stable than sour cream — if using sour cream, take the pan off heat before stirring it in.

What to serve with it

Warm corn tortillas, rice, or tortilla chips. Refried beans on the side make it feel like a full plate.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Roast and slice poblanos up to 2 days ahead. Leftovers keep 3 days; reheat low and slow with a splash of broth. Freezing is okay but the cream sauce may separate slightly.

Troubleshooting

**Sauce split?** Whisk in a spoon of cold crema off heat. **Too mild?** Add a minced jalapeño with the onion. **Chicken dry?** Use thighs or pull breast strips as soon as they lose pink.