Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stuffed Peppers (Print Version)

Tender peppers filled with creamy garlic chicken, rice, and rich Parmesan sauce, baked until golden.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeds removed
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 & 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 chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers upright.
02 - Cut off the tops from bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Place the peppers cut side up in the 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 the shredded chicken, cooked rice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and add 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir until the mixture is creamy and heated through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Spoon the creamy chicken and rice mixture evenly into the prepared bell peppers. Top each pepper with a sprinkle of mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese.
07 - Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the peppers are tender.
08 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The peppers actually taste like something special when they're baked just right—soft but still holding their shape with character.
  • You can make the whole thing ahead and pop it in the oven when life gets hectic, which has saved me more than once on chaotic weeknights.
  • There's something quietly impressive about serving these at a dinner table; people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the seeds and white membranes from inside the peppers—they're incredibly bitter and will make the whole dish taste off if left behind.
  • The difference between creamy and curdled sauce is watching the pan carefully once the cream goes in; keep the heat at medium and stir constantly so nothing seizes or separates.
  • If your peppers seem too firm after the foil comes off, they're fine—they'll continue softening during that final bake, and the cheese will be perfect golden by the time they're done.
03 -
  • Buy pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and leftover rice from yesterday's dinner to cut active cooking time down to barely twenty minutes—this is restaurant-quality comfort food on a weeknight schedule.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh while you're cooking instead of using pre-shredded; the difference in how the sauce comes together is honestly remarkable and worth the extra thirty seconds.
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