Blackened Chicken Penne with Charred Poblano and Monterey Jack Cheese

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water toa boil. Wash and dry all produce. Core,deseed, and dice poblano into ½-inchpieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions,separating whites from greens. Thinlyslice garlic. Finely chop tomato.

Step 2

Pat chicken dry with paper towels.Toss in a large bowl with a large drizzleof olive oil, Blackening Spice, and a fewbig pinches of salt.

Step 3

Once water is boiling, add penne topot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes.Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water (1 cupfor 4 servings), then drain and set aside.

Step 4

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oliveoil in a large pan over medium-highheat. Add poblano and a pinch of salt.Cook, without stirring, until poblanois lightly charred, 3-4 minutes. Addchicken and cook, stirring occasionally,until browned and cooked through,4-6 minutes. Stir in scallion whitesand garlic. Cook until fragrant, 30-60seconds. Stir in half the tomato and apinch of salt. Reduce heat under pan tomedium low.

Step 5

Stir cream cheese and ⅓ cupreserved pasta cooking water (⅔ cupfor 4 servings) into pan with chickenmixture. Add penne and cook, stirring,until thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes.Turn off heat. Add Monterey Jack, stockconcentrate, 2 TBSP butter (3 TBSPfor 4), and as much hot sauce as youlike; stir until butter has melted. (TIP: Ifneeded, stir in more reserved cookingwater a splash at a time until pasta iscoated in a creamy sauce.) Season withsalt and pepper.

Step 6

Divide penne between bowls orplates. Garnish with scallion greensand remaining tomato. Drizzle with anyremaining hot sauce if desired.