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closeup overhead view of chicken stuffed peppers in a baking dish.
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Chicken Stuffed Peppers Recipe

My Mexican-inspired chicken stuffed bell peppers are a 1-hour weeknight favorite, packed with shredded chicken, rice, corn, beans, salsa, & cheese.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 540kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers any color
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion finely chopped
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken *
  • 1½ cups cooked white rice **
  • 1 cup canned black beans drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1½ cups chunky salsa ***
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
    ingredients for chicken stuffed peppers.
  • Slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds.
    4 large bell peppers
    halved bell peppers on a cutting board.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
    ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ onion
    sautéed onion in a pan.
  • Add in the chicken, white rice, black beans, corn, taco seasoning, and salsa. Stir to combine.
    3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1½ cups cooked white rice, 1 cup canned black beans, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1½ cups chunky salsa
    seasoned shredded chicken filling in a pan.
  • Fill each pepper with a heaping amount of the chicken mixture, making sure to pack the filling in. Place each stuffed pepper in the prepared baking dish. Top with shredded cheese.
    1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    pepper halves stuffed with chicken filling and topped with cheese in a baking dish.
  • Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Then, cover with aluminum foil.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
  • Top with chopped cilantro, if desired.
    chopped fresh cilantro
    overhead view of chicken stuffed peppers in a baking dish.

Notes

*Use any leftover/cooked chicken to shred. Make this recipe easier by using a rotisserie chicken from the store!
**The rice must be cooked before stuffing into the peppers. It will not cook properly inside the peppers if added dry.
***Use your favorite salsa for this recipe. I recommend chunky varieties. Thinner salsas are a little too liquid-y and can mess up the consistency of the filling, or leak out while baking.
Becky's Top Tips:
  • If you like your stuffed peppers on the softer side, boil them for about 3 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool before stuffing them.
  • Make sure to use cooked white rice; raw rice will not bake through properly.
  • If you don't have any leftover cooked rice, quickly cook up a bag of minute rice in the microwave. I've found a package has just about the perfect amount of rice.
  • If you prefer to make whole stuffed peppers (the traditional way), they'll need 45-60 minutes to bake through.
Make Ahead: Follow the step-by-step instructions up to the baking part. Keep them in the baking dish wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. Place them in the fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for about 24 hours until you’re ready to bake them. Then, follow the instructions as listed.
Storage: Store chicken stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pepper | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1128mg | Potassium: 1154mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5991IU | Vitamin C: 217mg | Calcium: 277mg | Iron: 4mg