Tender potatoes and silky poblano chiles mingle in a tangy, rich cream sauce in this Mexican favorite, resulting in a substantive one-pan dish that can be served innumerable ways. Tuck the mixture into tortillas for tacos or burritos. Roll it up inside enchiladas topped with a layer of stretchy, melty mozzarella or queso Chihuahua. Or just eat it all on its own with a knife and fork.
Buttery Yukon Gold potatoes retain their shape after simmering, making them the best spud for papas con rajas, but when it comes to the peppers you have some license. In summer this recipe is a great way to showcase in-season chiles, so if you spot Anaheim peppers, New Mexican green chiles, or even really great-looking green bell peppers, feel free to swap them in. For a more traditional take, grill or broil the chiles until the skins are blistered before peeling and cutting them into strips. Mexican crema is increasingly easy to find in grocery stores, usually in the cheese section; if you can’t get some, we’ve provided a substitute. For a fully vegetarian version, swap the chicken bouillon for vegetable or mushroom bouillon.
What you’ll need
Large Skillet with Lid
$40 At Amazon
Vegetable Peeler
$14 $10 At Amazon
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley & Bennett
Wooden Spoon
$9 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 small white onion, thinly sliced, 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 10 oz.), peeled, cut into 2x½" sticks, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, and ¼ cup water to pan and cover (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a lid). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent and potato is almost fork-tender, 9–12 minutes.
Step 2
Add 4 large poblano chiles, cut into 2x½" strips, re-cover pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chiles are bright green and crisp-tender, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in 1 Tbsp. vegetable or chicken bouillon paste and 1 cup crema mexicana or heavy cream and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potato is tender and cream (if using) is slightly reduced, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ¼ cup crema mexicana or sour cream.
Step 4
Serve with toasted small flour or corn tortillas, lime wedges, and remaining 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, for building tacos.
