This whole meal idea started when I bought a bunch of little banana chiles. I didn’t know what to do with them, but then I thought, POPPERS! I love cream cheese and I love poppers. Plus, since banana chiles are more mild than jalapeno, it would be a rare opportunity to make poppers that the kids could enjoy too. Hence, the Baked Banana Pepper Popper was born!

Of course we needed something to go with them. But what? Soup sounded good, but so did enchiladas. Say, why not combine them? The perfect combination! I’ll admit, not the typical poppers and Enchilada Soup you’d get at Chilis, but much, much more healthy and definitely more cost effective. I did consider the copycat recipes for the soup, but man, they are loaded with processed cheese and fat. So here’s my lighter version. Hope you enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup:

5 – 6 chicken legs – $2.01
2 Tbsps Lard or Shortening – $.25
1/4 large onion, finely diced – $.25
2 cans Rotel or other Tomatoes with diced green chiles (plain tomatoes for more mild flavor) – $1.45
1/8 cup New Mexico Red Chile Powder – $.20
1 Tbsp garlic, minced – pantry
2 Tbsps flour – pantry
1 1/2 tsp salt – pantry
1 tsp black pepper – pantry
1 tsp Mexican oregano – pantry
1/2 tsp cumin powder – pantry
Water

Optional Garnish Ideas:
Fried corn tortilla strips (I fried my own in a 1/2 cup of hot oil, using a small sauce pan)
Shredded cheese
Sour Cream
Chopped Cilantro
Diced Onion

COST: $4.16

In a medium pot, simmer chicken legs in water with salt, pepper, oregano, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic and 2 bay leaf. You’ll want to slow cook (covered) for at least 1 hour, possibly 1 1/2. At least till chicken is tender and easily removed from bone. Once legs are done, remove from liquid and let cool. NOTE:  Save the broth!!!

Next, In a large pot, melt lard or shortening over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well blended. Cook 1 min. Add powdered chile and mix again, cooking an additional minute more. Stir or whisk in 1 cup of your broth from the simmered chicken (you may need a little more, so keep additional on hand). You want the base to be a nice, moderately thick consistency (similar to tomato soup). Bring sauce to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

During this time, debone chicken from legs. After sauce has cooked down, you can add your chicken, onion, garlic, canned tomato (with all juices) and cumin to your enchilada sauce base, stir and bring mixture to boil. You may add some salt and oregano to taste as well as some additional broth. Cover and reduce to soup to simmer. Let cook for 20 to 30 more minutes or while you prepare and cook your poppers.

Banana Pepper Poppers:

6-8 Banana Peppers (Yellow Chiles – similar to Jalapeno, but not as hot) halved & seeded – $1.73
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened – $1.09
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese – $.25
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese – $.60
Dash salt, garlic powder (to taste) – pantry
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs – $.50
Optional: 1/4 cup diced ham (I had leftover from baked ham). You could also use bacon

COST: $4.17

In a large bowl, soften cream cheese with fork or beat till creamy. Add Parmesan and shredded cheese, diced ham, garlic powder and salt to cream cheese and mix well. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the cheese filling into each pepper half. Dab the filled peppers onto the bread crumbs and place on greased baking sheet, cheese side up. Repeat till all pepper halves are filled and coated. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Be careful not to overcook or the cheese filling will start to slide off the peppers. Oh, these are so tasty! You’ll never want to eat those deep fried frozen poppers ever again!

GRAND TOTAL: $8.35