Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Peppers (Printable)

Bell peppers filled with tender chicken, rice, and melted cheese, baked until golden and bubbly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers, tops removed and seeds discarded
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Protein

04 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftovers)

→ Grains

05 - 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)

→ Dairy

06 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
07 - 1/4 cup softened cream cheese

→ Pantry & Spices

08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers upright.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
03 - In a large bowl, mix cooked shredded chicken, rice, sautéed onion and garlic, drained diced tomatoes, 1 cup cheddar cheese, cream cheese, dried Italian herbs, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well incorporated.
04 - Fill each hollowed bell pepper with the chicken mixture and place them upright in the prepared baking dish.
05 - Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the stuffed peppers. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the baking dish to create steam during baking.
06 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly and peppers are tender.
08 - Let the dish cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and dinner is done in under an hour.
  • It looks fancy enough to serve guests but simple enough to make on a weeknight without stress.
  • The filling is forgiving—swap proteins, grains, or veggies based on what's in your kitchen.
02 -
  • If your peppers won't stand upright, trim a thin slice off the bottom—this is the one hack that changed everything for me.
  • Don't skip draining the tomatoes completely; watery filling leads to soggy peppers and cheese that separates during baking.
  • The filling can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated, which means you only have assembly left when you get home from work.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded cheese from the deli counter instead of the packaged bags—it melts more smoothly and tastes fresher.
  • If you don't have cream cheese, use sour cream or Greek yogurt in its place; the texture changes slightly but the creaminess factor remains.
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