: Pesto Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Meta Description: Discover the best recipe for Pesto Chicken Stuffed Peppers! This easy, healthy, and delicious meal combines juicy chicken and vibrant pesto with bell peppers for a family-friendly dinner. Get the full recipe, tips, and variations here.

A Taste of Summer: The Story Behind This Recipe

Summer has always been my favorite season for food. The long, warm evenings just beg for light, flavorful dinners that don’t require you to turn on the oven for hours. I remember one particularly sweltering day a few years ago when I was completely stumped on what to make for dinner. My pantry was looking a little sparse, but I had some bell peppers from the farmer’s market, leftover rotisserie chicken, and a jar of my favorite pesto. A quick mental inventory told me I had all the ingredients for a dish that could be both simple and stunning. The result was an instant hit with my family. They loved the way the sweet, tender bell peppers contrasted with the savory, garlicky pesto chicken filling, and I loved how easy it was to throw together.

This pesto chicken stuffed peppers recipe has since become a staple in our household. It’s the perfect blend of fresh flavors and satisfying textures, a dish that feels special enough for a dinner party but is simple enough for a Tuesday night. It takes all the things we love about classic stuffed peppers—the comforting warmth, the cheesy topping—and gives them a bright, summery twist with the addition of basil pesto. It’s a dish that brings a little bit of sunshine to your plate, no matter the weather.

The Secret to the Best Stuffed Peppers

What makes this recipe for pesto stuffed bell peppers so good? It’s all about balancing the flavors and textures. You have the sweetness of the bell peppers, the earthy, herby notes of the pesto, the savory chicken, and the creamy, gooey mozzarella cheese. This combination creates a harmonious and incredibly delicious meal. It’s also a fantastic way to use up leftover cooked chicken, making it a great choice for meal prep or a weeknight dinner when you’re short on time. I’ve found that using multicolored bell peppers not only makes the dish visually appealing but also adds a slight variation in sweetness and flavor, which is a fun bonus.

✅ Ingredients You’ll Need

Gathering your ingredients is the first step to a delicious meal. This list is designed to be simple, using items you likely already have on hand or can easily find.

• 6 large bell peppers (any color you like!)
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken¹
• 1 cup prepared basil pesto²
• 1 cup cooked white rice or quinoa³
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided⁴
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional, for an extra burst of flavor)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder⁵
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• A drizzle of olive oil⁶

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Follow these simple, numbered steps to create a beautiful and flavorful meal.

1. Prepare the Peppers: Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash the bell peppers and carefully slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membranes. Arrange the pepper halves, cut side up, in a large baking dish. You can rub a little olive oil on them for extra flavor and to prevent them from drying out.
2. Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken, pesto, cooked rice or quinoa, half of the shredded mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, chopped sun-dried tomatoes (if using), red onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until the ingredients are well distributed and the chicken is fully coated in the pesto.
3. Stuff the Peppers: Using a spoon, generously fill each bell pepper half with the chicken and pesto mixture.⁷ Press the filling down gently to make sure it’s packed in nicely. Don’t worry if some of the filling overflows a little bit; it just adds to the rustic charm.
4. Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven.⁸ Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender-crisp. You’ll know they’re ready when they’ve softened slightly and the filling is heated through.
5. Add the Cheese Topping: Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper.
6. Broil for a Golden Finish: Return the baking dish to the oven and set the broiler to low or medium. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and a beautiful golden brown. This step gives the peppers that irresistible cheesy crust.
7. Serve and Enjoy: Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven and let them cool for a couple of minutes before serving. They’ll be hot, so handle them with care!

🌟 Creative Variations & Serving Ideas

This recipe is incredibly flexible. Once you have the basic technique down, you can start experimenting with different flavors to make it your own.

• Make it Vegetarian: Swap out the chicken for a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or a cup of white beans. You can also use crumbled firm tofu or even a mix of mushrooms and spinach. This creates a delicious and satisfying meatless version of stuffed peppers with pesto.
• Change the Protein: Not a fan of chicken? Use leftover cooked turkey or even ground sausage. Just make sure whatever protein you choose is cooked and crumbled before mixing it with the other ingredients. This versatility makes it a great recipe for using up leftovers.
• Try Different Cheeses: Instead of mozzarella, try provolone for a sharper flavor, or a blend of Italian cheeses. A little sprinkle of feta cheese on top adds a salty, tangy kick that pairs perfectly with the pesto.
• Add More Veggies: Boost the nutritional content and flavor by adding finely diced zucchini, shredded carrots, or even corn to the chicken and rice filling. This is an excellent way to sneak in extra vegetables for picky eaters.
• Make it a Low-Carb Meal: Ditch the rice and replace it with cauliflower rice or a mix of sautéed vegetables for a delicious, low-carb alternative.

For serving, these pesto chicken peppers are a complete meal on their own, but if you’re looking to round out your dinner, consider serving them with a simple side salad with a light vinaigrette or some crusty bread for dipping in the juices.

Common Questions About Stuffed Peppers

You’re a home cook, and you’ve got questions. That’s a good thing! Here are answers to some of the most common questions about making chicken stuffed peppers.

• Why do you recommend precooking the rice? Precooking the rice ensures that it’s tender and fully cooked before it goes into the oven. Stuffed peppers don’t bake for long enough to cook raw rice thoroughly, so this step is crucial for a great texture.
• Can I make these ahead of time? Yes! You can prepare the filling and stuff the peppers up to a day in advance. Store them in the baking dish, covered, in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, just add a few extra minutes to the initial baking time to account for them being cold.
• How do I choose the best bell peppers? Look for peppers that are firm to the touch, shiny, and free of blemishes or soft spots. The heavier they feel for their size, the better, as this indicates they are thick-walled and will hold up well to stuffing and baking.
• What if I don’t have time to cook chicken? This recipe is fantastic with rotisserie chicken! A store-bought rotisserie chicken is a huge time-saver and delivers a delicious, tender shredded chicken for your filling.⁹
• What’s the best way to cut the peppers? Slicing them lengthwise down the middle is the best way to create a stable “boat” for the filling.¹⁰ It also allows them to cook more evenly than if you cut the tops off.

Nutritional Information

Here is a general nutritional breakdown for one serving of this delicious stuffed pepper with pesto recipe.

Note: Nutritional values can vary based on the specific ingredients and portion sizes used.

Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamins, particularly Vitamin C, while chicken provides lean protein. Pesto, made from basil and olive oil, adds healthy fats and a boost of antioxidants. When you serve this dish, you can feel good knowing you’re eating a balanced and nutritious meal. It’s a complete meal in one, which is perfect for busy weeknights.

A Final Word on a Weeknight Hero

There’s a reason this stuffed pepper recipe has become a fixture in my home. It’s a true weeknight hero—delicious, wholesome, and surprisingly easy to make. It manages to feel both hearty and light, packed with flavor but not heavy. It proves that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to create a meal that looks and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant.

This dish is a testament to the power of simple, fresh ingredients and the magic of a good pesto. The combination of juicy chicken, savory herbs, and tender-crisp peppers is an experience you won’t soon forget. It’s a great way to get your family excited about eating their vegetables and a fantastic option for anyone looking for a new, exciting dinner idea.

I encourage you to give this recipe for pesto chicken stuffed peppers a try. I think you’ll be just as surprised and delighted as I was the first time I made it. Let me know what you think and what creative twists you added!