Chicken & Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
These Chicken & Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers offer a delicious and hearty meal featuring tender rotisserie chicken, fluffy jasmine rice, and vibrant broccoli, all stuffed inside sweet bell pepper halves. Topped with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and finished with a crunchy cracker topping and fresh parsley, this easy-to-make dish is perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner or meal prep option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 stuffed bell pepper halves (serves 4) 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Bell Peppers
- 4 large bell peppers
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups broccoli florets, finely chopped
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 2 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½–¾ cup water or chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
- 4–5 whole wheat crackers, crushed (or gluten-free crackers)
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s ready to bake the stuffed peppers thoroughly and evenly.
- Prepare bell peppers: Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise, carefully remove the seeds and membranes, then arrange the halves cut-side up in a large baking dish to hold the filling.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and sauté for approximately 5 minutes until it becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Cook broccoli and garlic: Add the minced garlic and finely chopped broccoli florets to the skillet, cooking for another 5 minutes until the broccoli brightens and softens slightly.
- Mix filling ingredients: Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked jasmine rice, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and half of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine and allow the cheese to melt into the mixture.
- Add liquid: Gradually pour in ½ cup of water or chicken broth, mixing it into the filling. Add a little more (up to ¾ cup) if the mixture feels too dry to ensure moist stuffing.
- Stuff peppers: Generously spoon the filling mixture into each bell pepper half, packing it firmly, then top each with the remaining shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to allow the peppers to soften and the filling to heat through.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve: Take the stuffed peppers out of the oven, sprinkle crushed whole wheat (or gluten-free) crackers and freshly chopped parsley over the top for added crunch and freshness. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute rotisserie chicken with cooked shredded chicken breast or thigh meat.
- Use gluten-free crackers if you require a gluten-free diet.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes to the filling.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
- To save time, you can prepare the filling a day ahead and assemble just before baking.
Keywords: stuffed bell peppers, chicken and rice, baked stuffed peppers, healthy dinner, rotisserie chicken recipe
