If you like shishito peppers, this sautéd chicken with shishito pepper sauce over cheesy polenta will be a great dish for you to try. Shishito peppers are my new best friend. I love all of the fun ways they can be used in recipes!
We are huge shishito pepper fans. If you also love shishito peppers, check out my BEST gluten free shishito pepper recipes!
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What are shishito peppers?
Shishito peppers are small but long shaped peppers that have become incredibly popular over the past few years. You used to only see these at farmer's markets in the summer. Now they are mainstream and Trader Joe's even carries them year-round now! They are similar in appearance to a padrone pepper, but padrone peppers are shorter in length.
I must be on a pepper kick this week because this is my second pepper dish. Shishito peppers are fun to cook with. Only about 1 in 10 have any heat, though I must tell you, I have yet to eat a really spicy one.
This is an easy dish that takes advantage of shishito peppers being in season. Shishito peppers are all over the farmer's markets, and even in some grocery stores like Trader Joe's.
Shishito peppers are best when they are cooked in either a cast-iron skillet or tossed in a basket on the grill. You eat the whole pepper, no need to remove the skin. Here is a great recipe for sauteed shishito peppers with garlic.
Instructions:
First we make the sauce. Grind up the shishito peppers in a food processor. I love the Cuisinart Immersion Blender with Attachments. I use it in many recipes because it is so versatile and easy to clean.
Mashed and ready to add to the sauteed chicken.
By sautéing the chicken with the shishito peppers, it adds incredible flavors to the chicken. Cook on medium heat.
How long do you sauté the chicken?
You will want to sauté the chicken for 6-8 minutes each side, then check the internal temperature. You will want the internal temperature to reach 165F degrees.
Make your polenta using the package directions. Make sure your polenta is gluten free. Polenta is naturally gluten free since it is corn, but you want to ensure it is not processed in a facility that processes wheat. Add the cheese to the polenta while it is cooking to make it cheesy!
More delicious shishito pepper recipes to try:
Can you cook these peppers stovetop?
You can definitely blister your shishito peppers stovetop instead of grilling them. I use a cast-iron skillet and blister the shishito peppers on high heat. (You can even cook them this way with garlic for a great appetizer!)
How big are shishito peppers?
Shishito peppers are typically about 2-3 inches long.
Recipe
Sauteed Chicken with Shishito Pepper Sauce over Cheesy Polenta
Ingredients
- 2-4 chicken breasts
- 1 package shishito peppers about 20-25 peppers, tops removed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 5 scallions chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons avocado or olive oil
- polenta make according to package instructions
- ¾ cup Mexican blend cheese
Instructions
- Make polenta according to package instructions.
- Add ¾ cup Mexican cheese to polenta and allow cheese to melt in by stirring.
- Wash shishito peppers and either grill or cook in a cast iron skillet to blacken.
- Remove stems and place them into a blender or food processor with 2 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon avocado oil.
- Blend until the peppers are broken up.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 teaspoon avocado oil.
- Add chicken, salt, pepper, and scallions.
- Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side.
- Add shishito peppers and chicken broth.
- Cook until chicken is done.
- Whisk in corn starch to thicken sauce.
- Put polenta on the plate and top with chicken and shishito pepper sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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This post was updated from an older June 2015 post with more details and easier-to-follow directions.
(*this post was updated from a 7/2014 post with more instructions and recipe details.)
Shiho
Thank you for the recipe! I love Shishito Peppers it is my favourite pepper. I am so envy you that Shishito sounds like readily available there. In Australia, it is not so common vegetable yet so I grow my own 😀
Sandi Gaertner
I love that you grow your own!! You are my new hero!
Jacqui
This looks great! definitely have to try!