Stuffed Peppers

Learn how to make delicious stuffed peppers! The stuffing is made with ground chicken, rice, melty Italian cheese, and a medley of herbs and spices to create incredible flavor. I absolutely love this recipe. It always makes for a great weeknight meal and provides delicious leftovers!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword stuffed peppers

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings peppers

Calories 219kcal

Ingredients

6 bell peppers (you can use red, yellow, green, and orange), halved and seeds/core removed
3 Tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil, divided
1 medium to large yellow onion, diced
1 lb ground chicken, Can also subsitute with lean ground beef or turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried fennel
1/2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 3/4 cup marinara, divided
2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
1/4 cup chicken stock
8 oz cooked rice, brown or white rice works
kosher salt & pepper, to taste
6 provolone slices, halved to make 12

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F.
Pre-roast the peppers: Place the halved and cleaned peppers in a large roasting pan. Brush or spray the peppers with 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil, then sprinkle the inside of the peppers with a pinch of salt. Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Make the filling: In a large saucepan or skillet, cook the diced onion with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt until soft (about 3-4 minutes). Then add the ground chicken, season with a generous pinch of salt, and cook until no longer pink. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces. Then add the minced or pressed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute with the chicken.
Add the seasonings: Add the garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seeds, and fresh rosemary, basil, and parsley. Stir in 1 cup of marinara sauce, the cooked rice, and chicken stock until everything is combined. Add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper, then on a low heat, stir in the shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Cook everything for about 3 minutes, or until the rice mixture has a creamier consistency.
Stuff the peppers: When the peppers are done pre-roasting, remove them from the oven. Carefully remove the foil (the steam from the peppers roasting can be really hot). Discard any water or moisture that accumulates in the center of the peppers - this can occur during the roasting process. Transfer the roasted peppers to a new baking dish (I used a 9x13 lasagna dish). Scoop the rice and chicken filling into each pepper until just filled. I like to use the back of a spoon to press it down so it's slightly packed into the pepper. Any leftover filling can be used to top them off.
Note: I prefer to use a muffin scoop/cookie scoop for filling the peppers - it's great for portioning out the stuffing.
Top with sauce: Spoon and spread 1 Tablespoon of marinara over the top of each stuffed pepper.
Bake: Then bake the stuffed peppers uncovered for 30 minutes at 400F. Remove from the oven and top with slices of provolone. Then bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Let the peppers cool for several minutes before serving!

Video

Notes

Leftovers keep for up to 4-5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.

For freezing, you can freeze the peppers once they are filled and uncooked, or freeze them after cooking the stuffed peppers with the sauce and cheese.

Nutrition