I first tried this dish at a little restaurant near our house, in Ostional. Don Tony, the owner and chef, serves this up super-spicy hot and it’s really a great dish! My version dials down the heat a bit, but if you want the burn, just add more jalapeño.
The recipes I found do not call for mushrooms, but I make it with them and found they add another dimension to the dish, and the mushroom goes so well with the chicken and jalapeno flavors.
The other ingredient I’ve added is Knorr’s Funghi Porcini bouillon, which I’m able to get here in Costa Rica (at Pequeno Mundo) or you can try another mushroom bouillon, like Better than Bouillon). Note that my recipe doesn’t include any additional salt, and I use chicken stock – not broth. I’m letting the bouillon (or base) do the salting for me. I find it doesn’t need more, but give yours a taste once all the ingredients are in the pot and add some salt if you prefer.
Nicaragua-style Creamy Jalapeno Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced to 1 inch pieces
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 4 jalapeno peppers cored and seeded, chopped into rings
- 1 medium onion sliced into thin strips
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms portobello, crimini, porcini, or white
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- ½ cube Knorr Funghi Porcini bouillon cube or 1/2 tsp Better-than-Bouillon mushroom base
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, pour in the cream and milk and whisk in the flour until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken. If you can, don't use a non-stick skillet and you'll be better able to create some rich fond to add to the dish. Brown the chicken on all sides.
- Add the chicken stock and scrape the pan to release the fond and dissolve it into the stock. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until about 1/2 the liquid remains, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the peppers (set a few aside for garnish), onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the onions and peppers get some nice browning on them – but not too much. Add the rosemary and saute about 2 minutes more. Turn the heat to medium-low.
- Give the cream mixture one more good stir and add it to the skillet with the veggies, stirring gently.
- Add the bouillon and the chicken with its liquid to the veggie-cream pan and mix gently but well.
- Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid has thickened, stirring frequently.
- Serve with hot rice and garnish with the jalapeno rings.
