Padron Peppers - A Year Later & Padron Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe

Padron Peppers, Fresno Chiles, and Cubanelle Peppers from Year Old Plants

I wrote about my foray into growing Padron peppers last year (read about it here).  It was all so trendy.  Shisito peppers are at Trader Joe's now, and for some reason, restaurants charge a pretty penny to get these peppers as an appetizer.  Just grow them yourself.

I'd read about people overwintering pepper plants to get several years harvest out of one plant by digging them up and bringing them inside for the cold winter months.  I guess I did that.  I didn't have the intention of overwintering my plants, but, well--- don't get mad at me-- but..er... San Diego just didn't have a winter this past year.  So, thus, I overwintered my plants by doing nothing more than not digging them up at the end of the season.

The plants just didn't do much growing between November and February, but they are back, leggy, but back.  Around November 2014, I pruned the heck out of the plants, but that was it.  So, I am here to say that if you happen to live in a San Diego-type climate and want to keep your pepper plants, just prune them and let them be.

That being said, I've cooked up a couple batches of padrons so far this year.  I did the basic cast iron pan saute with olive oil and salt.  But, Oh Lordy, I couldn't eat them.  Way too spicy for me.  Last year, you'd get a spicy one every 6 or so peppers.  This time it was two spicys to one mild.  Being a sissy la-la when it comes to heat, I'm not amused.   Time for creativity to use up all the spicy peppers.

Spicy Padron Slow Cooker Chicken:
 Now, I don't eat chicken, so don't ask me what it tasted like, but I have on good measure that the recipe was a hit.   Basically, chop up (food processor, knife, or mortar and pestle) an onion, a bunch (15ish) of padrons, and a few garlic cloves. Saute with olive oil, add cumin, salt, pepper, oregano for 10 mins or so.  I wanted to thicken it up so I mashed up some pinto beans and added to the pan.  Dump in crock pot.  Add a few cups of broth.  Add chicken (I used parts of a whole chicken I cut up).  Cook on low until chicken is falling off the bone.  Take chicken out of the crock.  Discard bones, and cartilage.  Shred.  Put back into crock pot with all the juices.  Add more or less stock to taste.  Add whole beans if you want to.  Add cilantro, green onions, avocado, chopped up fresh padrons, squeeze of fresh lime juice, cheese--- you get it to make a chili.  Or just pull out the shredded chicken for tacos.
If your Padrons are not so spicy, consider adding some jalapeno, fresno chili, or other medium heat peppers to liven it up.