Southwest Chicken Stuffed Peppers

This healthy recipe for chicken stuffed peppers is super easy and dairy free! They’re made with ground chicken, black beans and brown rice, seasoned with taco seasoning for a spicy, Mexican twist on a classic family meal. 

Why I love this chicken stuffed pepper recipe

We had stuffed peppers all the time when I was growing up. It was on regular rotation in our house, and even though I was not a fan of the peppers, I did love the filling.

For some reason, I’ve never bothered to make them myself until recently. The thought had never crossed my mind. Even when we were traveling, and I couldn’t just go over to my mom’s for dinner, I never craved them enough to bother making them. Who knows – maybe you can have too much of a good thing.

So when I finally decided to make them myself, I figured I may as well put my own spin on them. I added black beans and spicy green chilies, and threw in on of my favorite spice blends.

Of course, I skipped the cheese, but we didn’t miss it because these southwest stuffed peppers are packed with lots of great flavor.

Serve them with dairy free mashed potatoes and street corn salad (or kale salad)

More chicken recipes you’ll love: chicken salad recipe / grilled chicken thighs / crispy baked chicken wings / bbq chicken tacos

close up of chicken stuffed peppers with black beans, tomatoes and cilantro.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

About the rice: You’ll need two cups of cooked rice for this recipe. I like to use boil-in-the-bag rice for this, but you can make it however you like. Just make sure it’s drained and cooled before you add it to the filling.

You can use any kind of rice you like, I prefer to use brown rice for this recipe, but white rice will work really well too.

How to make stuffed chicken peppers

Make the sauce. In a small bowl, stir the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes together. Set aside for later. If you like extra sauce, feel free to double this.

Mix the filling. In a large bowl, mix the filling ingredients until they’re evenly combined. You can use a fork, but I prefer to use clean hands to get it done a bit faster.

Stuff the peppers. Slice your peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs. You can remove the stems if you want to, but I think they look prettier with the stems. It’s totally up to you.

Next fill, each pepper with a scoop of stuffing. It’s okay if the peppers are “overflowing”. Place them in the baking dish and spoon a little sauce on top.

Bake the stuffed peppers. Cover the baking dish and pop it into a 375˚F oven for 45 – 55 minutes. During the last 10 minutes or so, remove the foil to release excess moisture and help the sauce thicken up.

Remove the peppers from the oven and garnish with extra cilantro (optional) before serving.

overhead view of cooked chicken stuffed peppers in a large baking dish

FAQS and tips for making chicken stuffed peppers

Do you put raw meat in stuffed peppers?

Yes, even though you’re cooking the rice ahead of time, you want the meat to be raw before stuffing your peppers.

How long do cooked stuffed peppers last in the fridge?

Cooked stuffed peppers should last for 3 – 5 days in the fridge. If you plan on keeping them any longer, I recommend freezing them.

Can I freeze stuffed peppers?

Absolutely! Stuffed peppers are a great freezer meal option and can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Should you cook stuffed peppers before freezing?

Yes. I recommend cooking stuffed peppers before freezing them.

close up of a chicken stuffed pepper on a small plate

More pepper recipes:

More stuffed recipes:

Southwest Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 peppers
This healthy recipe for chicken stuffed peppers is super easy and dairy free! They’re made with ground chicken, black beans and brown rice, seasoned with taco seasoning for a spicy, Mexican twist on a classic family meal.

Ingredients

  • 8 bell peppers halved with centers removed
  • Cilantro optional, for topping
For the sauce:
  • 1 14- ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 15- ounce can tomato sauce
For the filling:
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 1 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup dairy free cheddar shreds or shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning**
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together sauce ingredients. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients and 1 cup of the sauce mixture.
  • Stuff peppers with filling and top each with a few tablespoons of sauce.
  • Add stuffed peppers to the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 – 55 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes.
  • Top with cilantro before serving.

Notes

**To make this recipe gluten free, be sure you use a gluten free taco seasoning

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcal Carbohydrates: 40g Protein: 18g Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0.04g Cholesterol: 69mg Sodium: 1156mg Fiber: 9g Sugar: 10g Vitamin C: 164mg

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