Chicken Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed pepper recipes are one of my favorite ways to make a healthy meal that the whole family loves. They are easy, filling, customizable, and a great way to get veggies in. I created this chicken stuffed peppers recipe one day when I had a lot of these ingredients on hand — and I’m so glad I did, because they are now going to be on regular rotation at our house! They have similar flavors to chicken fajitas and are just as easy as lasagna stuffed peppers.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for chicken stuffed bell peppers, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Chicken And Marinade:

• Olive Oil – You will need enough olive oil for the chicken, peppers, and filling. You can also use another neutral oil, such as avocado oil.
• Lime Juice – The acid in the lime juice helps to tenderize the chicken. I think fresh is best, but you can use bottled for convenience.
• Fajita Seasoning – I made my own homemade fajita seasoning, but store bought would work as well. For a different flavor profile, you could swap in Cajun seasoning or taco seasoning.
• Chicken – I cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces for this chicken stuffed bell peppers recipe. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you have leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken on hand, you could also just toss that with the seasonings and lime juice and use in the recipe without cooking it.

Peppers:

• Bell Peppers – I like to use a variety of bell peppers (a mix of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers), but you can use any color you prefer. Poblano peppers would also work.
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt

Filling:

• Olive Oil
• Onion – While I used a diced yellow onion, a sweet onion or white onion would work as well.
• Garlic – I recommend using fresh garlic, but you can use jarred minced garlic to save time.
• Cheese – I used a Mexican cheese blend for these stuffed peppers. You could easily substitute other melting cheeses, such as pepper jack or cheddar cheese. If you need to be dairy-free, you can simply omit the cheese or use a plant-based substitute.
• Cooked Cauliflower Rice – Use fresh or frozen riced cauliflower from the store to save time making these peppers. Make a big batch of homemade cauliflower rice and use in this recipe, or just cook a little longer after adding the cauliflower to make sure it softens. For even more flavor, swap the plain cauliflower rice with cilantro lime cauliflower rice instead. I choose cauli rice as a healthier option, but if it fits your lifestyle, you could use cooked brown or white rice instead.
• Fresh Cilantro – I love fresh cilantro and it works best with the Mexican flavors in these chicken stuffed peppers, but you can also swap in other fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil.

How To Make Chicken Stuffed Peppers

This section shows how to make chicken stuffed bell peppers, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, use a whisk to mix olive oil, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Add chopped chicken and toss to coat. Marinate chicken stuffed pepper filling in the refrigerator.
2. Prep the peppers. Cut off the tops of bell peppers. Remove seeds and ribs. Brush the insides of the peppers with olive oil. Sprinkle very lightly with sea salt.

TIP: Level the bottoms if needed.

If the bell peppers don’t stand up, slightly chop the bottoms to level. Be careful not to slice too far and create holes in the bottom of the pepper, which will cause fillings to leak.

3. Roast the peppers. Bake the peppers in a baking dish until they begin to soften and brown on the edges.

4. Saute onions. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
5. Add garlic. Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant. Remove onions and garlic from the skillet.

6. Cook chicken. In the same skillet, cook marinated chicken over medium heat until pieces are cooked through. Drain excess liquid from the pan. Remove from heat.
7. Add cauliflower rice and cilantro. Stir in the cooked cauliflower rice and chopped cilantro.

8. Stuff the peppers. Divide the chicken mixture among the prepared peppers. Top with Mexican cheese blend.
9. Bake. Return chicken stuffed peppers to the oven and bake until the cheese melts.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Place stuffed bell peppers with chicken in an airtight container or wrap with foil and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
• Meal prep: For a make-ahead meal, you can cook chicken and rice stuffed bell peppers according to the recipe and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Alternatively for fresher results, you can assemble the peppers but don’t bake at the last step until right before serving.
• Reheat: Warm peppers in the oven at 350 degrees F, or in the microwave.
• Freeze: Place cooled stuffed peppers on a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight for faster reheating, or simply bake from frozen at 350 degrees F.

What To Serve With Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers

Chicken stuffed peppers make a meal all on their own, so you don’t have to add anything. If you want to, though, try these ideas:

• Toppings – Top with diced avocado or guacamole, green onions, and sour cream. You can also drizzle on a sauce, such as fresh tomato salsa, avocado salsa verde, or queso in place of the shredded cheese.
• Salad – Any healthy salads can work with these stuffed peppers, but they work particularly well with Mexican flavors. Try avocado corn salad or taco slaw.
• Soup – If you want an extra hearty meal, pair the peppers with black bean soup or taco soup.

More Stuffed Pepper Recipes

There are so many other delicious ways to stuff a pepper! If you liked these stuffed peppers, try some of these other recipes:

Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers

Halloween Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Mini Peppers

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

4.87 from 15 votes

Chicken Stuffed Peppers (Mexican Flavors!)

Chicken stuffed peppers are filled with fajita seasoned chicken, garlic, onion, cauliflower rice, and melty cheese. A flavorful, healthy meal!

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Marinating time 20 minutes

Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Chicken and Marinade:

• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 2 tbsp Lime juice ▢
• 1 tbsp Fajita seasoning ▢
• 1 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small cubes) ▢

Peppers:

• 6 large Bell peppers ▢
• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢

Filling:

• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1 medium Onion (diced) ▢
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend ▢
• 2 cups Cooked cauliflower rice (or cooked white rice if it fits your lifestyle) ▢
• 1 tbsp Fresh cilantro (chopped) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and fajita seasoning. Add the chopped chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

3. Cut off the tops of the bell peppers. Remove the seeds and white flesh. In case peppers don’t stand up, slightly chop their bottoms to level. Brush the insides of the peppers with olive oil. Season very lightly with sea salt.

4. Roast peppers for about 20 minutes, until they begin to soften and brown on the edges.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened.

6. Add minced garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Remove onions and garlic from the skillet.

7. In the same skillet, cook the marinated chicken over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until chicken pieces are cooked through. Drain excess liquid from the pan. Remove from heat.

8. Stir in the cooked cauliflower rice (or white rice) and chopped cilantro. (If using cauliflower rice, you could also add it uncooked and cook for a few minutes at this step.)

9. Divide the chicken filling among the prepared peppers. Top with Mexican cheese blend.

10. Return chicken stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese melts.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken stuffed pepper

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 304

Fat 17.1g

Protein 23.6g

Total Carbs 16.3g

Net Carbs 11.1g

Fiber 5.2g

Sugar 9.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: chicken fajita stuffed peppers, whole30 stuffed peppers

Calories: 304 kcal

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