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A yellow bell pepper carved like a jack-o-lantern and stuffed with a savory filling, served with a side of salad.

Spooky Stuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken

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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 large bell peppers any color, sliced in half lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 Ib ground chicken 93% lean works best
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa (for extra fiber and texture
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup maybe more roasted tomato sauce divided
  • 1 can roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 T tomato paste for thickening mixture
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Place the halved bell peppers cut-side up in the dish (or whole).
  • Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  • Cook the Chicken: Add the ground chicken, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until the chicken is browned and no longer pink (about 6-8 minutes).
  • Mix the Filling: Remove the skillet from the heat.
  • Stir in the cooked brown rice (or quinoa) and 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce.
  • Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the chicken and rice mixture evenly into each pepper half, pressing down gently to fill them. Spoon a little extra marinara sauce over the top of each stuffed pepper.
  • Bake: Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for: 25 minutes. Remove the foil, top each pepper generously with the shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted & golden.
  • Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley.