Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Ground chicken stuffed in a bell pepper.

5 from 2 votes

The enchilada sauce, veggies, jalapenos, and spices give our Chicken Stuffed Peppers a delicious Mexican flavor! The stuffing is quick and easy to make, and it is similar to making chicken meatloaf. The spices and jalapeno peppers give the stuffed peppers a taste of Mexico.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Bell peppers stuffed with chicken, Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers, Chicken Stuffed Peppers, Ground Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Servings: Servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Peppers

4 large bell peppers any color
1 pound ground chicken
1-½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese reserve 1/2 cup
10 oz. frozen corn thawed
1 cup cooked rice
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced or grated
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 eggs lightly beaten
¾ cup enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup water added to the baking dish

For the Glaze:

¼ cup enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce

Instructions

For the Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Preheat the oven to 375° and coat an ovenproof dish with cooking spray
Slice 1/2 inch from the tops of the peppers and remove the stems from the tops. Remove the membrane and seeds from the inside of the peppers. (See notes)
If necessary, cut away a very thin slice of pepper from the bottoms so the peppers can stand upright. Or, place standard canning jar rings in the bottom of the baking dish to keep the peppers upright.
Use a toothpick to prick several holes in the bottom of each pepper to allow juices to drain out.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, and the remaining ingredients, except the garnish of cilantro and lime wedges. Mix until well combined, being careful not to over-mix. Fill each pepper but do not pack the peppers too firmly. Heap the filling on top as it will shrink as it cooks.
Set the stuffed bell peppers upright in the dish and add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the dish. If the peppers tip over, you can place them in Mason jar lid rings.
Spray a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the dish with cooking spray and place it sprayed side down to cover the dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes.

For the Glaze:

Whisk together the enchilada sauce, tomato paste, honey, salt, pepper , and hot sauce, if using in a small dish.
After the stuffed peppers have baked for 60 minutes, transfer them from the oven and remove the foil cover. Spoon the glaze over the top of each stuffed pepper and bake, uncovered, for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cheese to each pepper and bake until the cheese melts.
Transfer from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Choose bell peppers of a mix of colors or of a single color.
You can get 5 to 6 stuffed peppers from this recipe if you have small bell peppers.
Try to select peppers that are equal in size, so they all cook equally.
Use scissors to cut the inside membranes, then turn the pepper upside down and shake the seeds and membrane out.
The bell peppers can also be cut in half, stuffed, and baked for smaller portions. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the peppers and whether they are cut with the tops off or cut into halves. We suggest using a meat thermometer for perfect results and cooking them to a temperature of 160-165°F.
Panko breadcrumbs can be substituted for cooked rice.
Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or Provolone are other cheese choices that work well.

Nutrition