Classic stuffed bell peppers with chicken, brown rice, veggies, melty cheese & so much chili flavor!

Have you ever felt overwhelmed at the end of summer because of an insane amount peppers?? Between a recent trip to Nebraska where I loaded up on my Mom’s pepper patch and our weekly csa, peppers had been literally spilling out of our fridge. Thankfully I successfully put away a batch of pickled peppers, dehydrated a variety of hot peppers, roasted bell peppers, put them on pizzas, salads & incorporated them into other meals within just a few short days before our kitchen was demolished for a renovation. And still I had some bell peppers to play with. So what better way to finish off a pepper bounty than by stuffing them with a whole lotta goodness!

Whether you you have handful of peppers to use up or your pepper crop is overflowing or someone dropped a box of their overflowing garden on your doorstep, this dish is a perfect way to take advantage of these finals days of pepper season!

How to Cut the Peppers for Stuffing:

Place your pepper on a cutting board. Decide where to make your cut based on how evenly the two halves will sit on your baking sheet. It’s okay if they tip slightly one way or the other.
Cut the peppers lengthwise through the stem.
Remove then entire pith and seeds. You can either leave the stem intact by carefully trimming away the core or carefully removing the entire core with the stem.
Take care to leave as much of the pepper intact as possible, so the filling doesn’t spill out.

Stuffed Bell Pepper Variations:

Use any grain you prefer or any leftover grain you might have on hand, such as quinoa or barley.
Use an alternate protein, such as cooked ground beef or ground turkey or chopped steak. Just make sure its cooked.
Use another type of cheese, such as cheddar, pepper jack, fontina or mozzarella.
Make it vegetarian by subbing in canned beans.
Use any veggies you have on hand, such as spinach or any hearty green, mushrooms, cauliflower or broccoli.
Instead of stuffing the peppers, make it a one pan meal by chopping the peppers and sauteing them in an oven safe pan along with the filling. Top with cheese and melt under a broiler.

How to Meal Prep & Make Ahead:

Make a large batch of rice to use for a couple meals during the week.
Roast a chicken/s or several chicken breasts/thighs to use for a couple meals or pick up a rotisserie chicken.
Prepare the filling and cut the peppers in advance. The filling can be refrigerated up to two days or frozen up to three months.
To freeze the entire dish ahead of time, start by baking the peppers according to the recipe, stuff the peppers in a casserole dish, top with the cheese, then wrap with foil. For individual or smaller servings, store in smaller freezer safe containers for multiple uses. When needed, place in the oven and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour or until thermometer registers 165 degrees.

Classic stuffed bell peppers with chicken, rice, zucchini & corn.

Chili Chicken, Corn & Zucchini Stuffed Peppers

Author: Dana King
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 12 stuffed pepper halves 1x
Category: Main
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Description

Perfect for when your market bag, garden or csa is overflowing with peppers! Colorful peppers full of chicken, veggies, rice and loads of chili spice!

Ingredients

Scale

6 bell peppers, halved, deveined and deseeded

1 c. brown rice, uncooked (about 3 cups cooked)

2 c. water or chicken broth

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 ears corn, cooked

2 c. cooked chicken, chopped

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lime, juiced

8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded

Serve with:

Greek yogurt or sour cream

Cotija cheese

Salsa

Hot sauce

Cilantro

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the rice by adding the brown rice and water or broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 to 45 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. On a parchment lined baking sheet place peppers cut side down. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, turn peppers over and set aside.

In a large skillet, warm canola oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and zucchini and saute until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add in corn, cooked chicken and cooked rice, stir to combine. Add in the chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, cinnamon, lime juice and cook until heated through. Fold in about half of the monterey jack cheese.

Spoon the filling into a heaping mound in each cavity of the peppers. Top the peppers with the remaining shredded cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned. Serve warm with greek yogurt, cotija, salsa, hot sauce and cilantro if desired.

Keywords: bell peppers, stuffed peppers, chicken, zucchini, corn, chili, summer veggies, brown rice, monterey cheese, cotija