Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
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These Chicken Stuffed Peppers are filled with black beans, corn, onion, and brown rice — you pretty much have all the food groups in one bite! I love that these healthy stuffed bell peppers are good for you yet full of flavor and taste amazing!
Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers
Here is a healthy entree that takes a little bit of extra time, but it’s is well worth it in the end. These chicken stuffed peppers are filled with so much goodness, and they are basically a full meal in one because you get three veggies (corn, onion and peppers), a whole grain (brown rice), two proteins (black beans and chicken) and a fruit (tomatoes).
I liked this filling so much I will probably just start to make it sometimes as a taco filling, plus that would cut out one step (seeding and boiling peppers) for the days I don’t have as much time. You could even chop a pepper and add it to the filling (when sautéing onions) to keep it fajita style.
I personally preferred the red peppers over the green (I think orange or yellow would be better too). Maybe that’s just me, but I think they cooked with a better flavor then the green did.
This was actually my first time eating/making stuffed bell peppers and I’m so glad I finally tried them! I hope you love them too!
Chicken Stuffed Peppers Ingredients
For this easy stuffed peppers recipe, you’ll need:
- Brown rice
- Bell peppers
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Canola oil
- Chicken
- Spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper)
- Tomatoes with green chiles
- Black beans
- Corn
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Mexican hot sauce
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
- Make the brown rice according to package instructions.
- Cut peppers in half, then seed and devein. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, then drain and place in baking pan.
- Sauté onions and garlic in oiled skillet, then transfer to plate.
- Add chicken to skillet and season with spices, then cook.
- Add onion mixture back into skillet, along with tomatoes, beans, corn, rice, cilantro and lime juice.
- Stuff peppers with filling, then bake. Sprinkle cheese onto peppers halfway through bake time.
- Serve chicken stuffed peppers with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.
How Long Do I Bake Stuffed Peppers?
You’ll need to bake these easy stuffed peppers for 30 to 35 minutes. Just make sure to pour a little water into the bottom of the baking dish and cover them with foil. This will create steam inside the pan and will cook the peppers while preventing them from drying out.
Can I Make These With Quinoa?
I haven’t tried that myself, but I don’t see why not! Just make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it, otherwise it might taste bitter once cooked.
Do Stuffed Peppers Reheat Well?
They do! These healthy stuffed peppers reheat very well and can be prepped for lunch at the start of a busy week.
Tips for the Best Stuffed Peppers
- This recipe is very versatile, so you can swap out some of the ingredients as needed. Different kinds of beans can be used, as well as different types of grains.
- When pouring the water into the bottom of the baking pan, be careful not to pour any water into the stuffed peppers.
- It’s important that you bake these chicken stuffed peppers covered, otherwise they’ll dry out in the oven.
More Stuffed Vegetable Recipes You’ll Love:
- Classic Stuffed Peppers
- Lasagna-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Taco Zucchini Boats
- Unstuffed Pepper Bowls
Follow Cooking Classy
Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dry brown rice (2 cups cooked)
- 5 medium red , yellow, orange or green bell peppers
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 Tbsp canola oil , divided
- 1 lb chicken , diced into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 cup canned black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro , plus more for garnish
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Mexican style hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare brown rice according to directions listed on package. Halfway through brown rice cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees and begin making filling and boiling peppers.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut peppers in half through length (top to bottom), seed and devein peppers, then boil 4 - 5 minutes (fully immersing them in the water), just until tender. Drain well and align in baking pans, set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large and deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden about 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer, transfer onion mixture to a plate.
- Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil skillet, and add chicken, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, the paprika and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomatoes, onion mixture, black beans, corn, cooked brown rice, remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin cumin, cilantro, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until heated through.
- Add a heaping 1/2 cup of the mixture to each pepper half (and slightly press as filling to fit). Pour enough water into bottom of baking dishes to reach 1/8-inch in height (careful not to pour it in peppers).
- Cover baking dishes with foil and bake 30 - 35 minutes, until peppers are soft. Remove from oven, sprinkle tops evenly with cheese then return to oven to bake until cheese has melted, about 3 minutes longer.
- Serve warm topped with more cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is very versatile, so you can swap out some of the ingredients as needed. Different kinds of beans can be used, as well as different types of grains.
- Recipe Source: Cooking Classy