Ingredients:

  • 8 large Hatch green chiles (approx. 1.5 lbs / 680g)
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef (93/7)
  • 1 small (100g) yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves (15g) garlic, minced
  • 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (115g) shredded low-fat pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your broiler to high. Brush the Hatch chiles lightly with avocado oil.
  2. Place chiles on a baking sheet and broil for 3–5 minutes per side until the skin is blistered and blackened.
  3. Immediately place hot chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to trap steam for easy peeling.
  4. Gently peel the charred skin, slice lengthwise, and remove seeds and membranes.
  5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the lean ground beef until no longer pink.
  6. Add the diced onion and garlic, sautéing until translucent.
  7. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  8. Remove from heat and stir in the softened light cream cheese and half of the shredded pepper jack until the mixture is velvety and cohesive.
  9. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  10. Spoon the filling into the roasted chile halves, pressing down slightly to ensure they are packed.
  11. Top each chile with the remaining shredded pepper jack.
  12. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the chiles are tender.