Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stuffed Peppers (Printable)

Tender peppers filled with creamy garlic chicken, rice, and melted Parmesan, baked until golden and bubbling.

# What Goes In:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops removed and seeds hollowed out
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Protein

04 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Grains

05 - 1 cup cooked white rice or brown rice

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry and Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to stand the peppers upright.
02 - Cut off pepper tops and remove seeds and membranes. Position peppers cut side up in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in shredded chicken, cooked rice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
05 - Pour heavy cream into the skillet and add 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir until the mixture becomes creamy and heated through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Distribute the creamy chicken mixture evenly among the prepared bell peppers. Sprinkle each pepper with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
07 - Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden and peppers are tender.
08 - Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy garlic sauce keeps the peppers moist and tender instead of dried out like some stuffed pepper recipes that haunt my kitchen memories.
  • It comes together in about an hour, which means you can have dinner on the table before anyone gets too hungry and cranky.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when all those flavors have gotten to know each other in the fridge.
02 -
  • If your peppers are leaning or unstable, slice a thin piece off the bottom so they sit flat, or they'll tip over and spill their filling all over your oven, which is as messy as it sounds.
  • Don't skip cooking the onion and garlic first because raw garlic in the filling will taste harsh and overpower all the nice creamy flavors you've worked to build.
03 -
  • If your cheese isn't getting as golden as you'd like in the final minutes, place the baking dish under the broiler for just one to two minutes, but watch it like a hawk because cheese can go from golden to burnt faster than you can say oops.
  • Using a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella is the secret that prevents the top from getting too brown and crusty while the inside is still cold.
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