Traditional stuffed peppers get a makeover! These Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers are loaded with flavor, kid-friendly and perfect for an easy and healthy comfort food dinner!
It finally happened. After over a year of not being sick I somehow managed to get a cold last week. Is there anything more annoying than a cold? It’s like the mosquito of the sickness world.
Sore throat and a stupid runny nose that just won’t quit. Why haven’t they come up with a pill or something to cure colds yet?! I have no idea where the cold came from and I don’t want to think about it too much because it grosses me out. I’m a slight germaphobe, maybe more than slight if you asked my husband.
I didn’t let the cold stop me from running though! There’s no way that sucker was going to make me miss a run. The only times I’ve missed my morning run were because of stomach issues and the time I got blood clots in my head and ended up in the hospital for nearly two weeks…yeah that was a fun one.
My theory is, running with a cold (not a fever) can actually help get rid of it faster. You’re sweating out all those toxins, loosening up the flem and if you’re like me spitting about 50 times during the run. Gross, I know, but if you run you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Now that the cold has passed I can enjoy food other than hot soup again, starting with these Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers.
Up until a couple weeks ago it had been ages since I made or ate stuffed peppers. It used to be one of my favorite dinners when I was growing up, although my mom never made this version. Of course back then I considered broccoli to be one of the most vile vegetables to grow out of the ground. Since then we’ve come to terms with each other and I actually really like it!
The filling for these stuffed peppers is gluten-free, loaded with chicken and broccoli and just enough wild rice to satisfy your carb craving without over doing it. The filling is also nice and creamy with the addition of plain Greek yogurt.
Of course a stuffed pepper isn’t a stuffed pepper unless there’s cheese involved. You’ll find it in the filling and of course melted on top, hence the recipe name, “Cheesy” Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers. Change up your traditional stuffed pepper night and give these a try!
More “Stuffed” Recipes
Cheesy Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 cup cooked wild rice or brown rice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup finely diced shallot
- 1 clove of garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place the halved bell peppers in a lightly greased baking dish and set aside.
- Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add in the shallot and sauté one minute. Add in the chicken and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Stir in the dijon mustard until combined then add in the broccoli florets. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli turns bright green and is tender. Add in the cooked rice and a 1/2 cup of the cheeses. Stir together until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt until combined.
- Spoon the filling into the prepared peppers. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes then remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 432mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 9gProtein: 26g
Can the peppers be stuffed and prepared a day
Early or be frozen before baking?
You could definitely prep these a day in advance Ilona. I haven’t tried freezing them, but I suspect you could. I would suggest baking them straight from the freezer with a longer cooking time rather than letting them defrost. I think once they defrost they might become soggy.
Would I need to double the recipe if I wanted to use 6 peppers and cut the tops off instead of cutting them lengthwise?
Hi Nicole,
Yes, I would probably double the filling for the peppers. If you have extra filling you can always just eat it for leftovers the next day.
How exactly would one divide 6 half peppers into four servings without starting a fight? ;) To avoid said fight, I stuffed four whole peppers by cutting the top off, and without adjusting the filling I had just the right amount. I will note that I used fairly large chicken breasts. I also subbed faro for rice and feta for cheddar. Yum!
I’m excited to try this recipe next weekend. Any suggestions of side dishes that would pair well? Thanks in advance!
Reposting my comment because I wrote the wrong email address…typo…and wasn’t to make sure to see your response.
Any side dish recommendations? I’m always at a loss with stuffed peppers. Excited to try this next weekend!
Hi Becky,
I usually just do a simple side salad when I make stuffed peppers. You can also check out the side dishes category for more ideas. The Parmesan pesto roasted cauliflower, honey roasted carrots or the sautéed herbed peas with bacon might be good alongside them as well.
I can’t see the recipe!!
Hi Deana, I’m so sorry. I’m having an issue with my site, but it’s being worked on and the recipe should be back up shortly. Check back in a little bit and it should be there. Sorry again for the inconvenience.
Should the peppers be cooked first?
You can stick the unstuffed peppers in the oven for 15 minutes if you prefer a softer texture and then add the filling and continue with the directed cooking time. Or just follow the directions on the recipe for a stuffed pepper with a firmer texture.
Is the calories for one half of a pepper?
I made these tonight and had an issue with the peppers getting cooked. The filling was great but after cooking per directions the peppers were hardly cooked at all. We added water to pan and cooked an additional 20 minutes then they were great. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the feedback Ron, I’ll take a look at the baking time again. Glad you enjoyed the stuffed peppers!
Can I substitute the greek yogurt for something dairy free?
Using full fat coconut milk or cream (unsweetened) might be a good substitute.