Description
These Chicken Taco Stuffed Peppers are a delicious and easy weeknight staple! Roasted peppers are filled with a taco-spiced chicken mixture and cheese and then baked until gooey and hot. The best way to enjoy these is topped off like your favorite taco! We do lots of fresh ingredients like shredded romaine and tomatoes and drizzle everything with some ranch and spritz of fresh lime juice! It’s a healthier version of your favorite taco!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Peppers:
- 3 large bell peppers, any color, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1–2 teaspoons canola or avocado oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Chicken Filling:
- 2 teaspoon canola or avocado oil
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar, jack, pepperjack cheese (or a combo of these)
Optional Toppings for Serving:
- Romaine hearts, shredded
- Cherry tomatoes, chopped or halved
- Scallion, chopped
- Red onion, finely chopped
- Pickled jalapenos, chopped
- Lime wedges
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- Ranch dressing, for drizzling
Instructions
For the Peppers:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line the pepper halves up in a large baking dish.
- Brush the peppers all over, inside and out, with a little bit of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast the peppers for 15 minutes while you make the filling and prep the fresh toppings.
For the Chicken Filling:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for a few minutes to soften.
- Add the chicken to the pan and break it up with a spatula or spoon. Add in the spices, along with a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cook, continuing to crumble and break up the chicken, for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the pinto beans and adjust the seasoning, as needed. Remove from the heat.
To Assemble:
- Take the peppers out of the oven and working carefully (everything will be very hot!), fill the peppers with the chicken mixture. Top each filled pepper with the shredded cheese.
- Bake the peppers for another 15-20 minutes or until they are tender on the outside and the filling is gooey.
To Serve:
- Serve the peppers while hot, garnished however you prefer. We like to treat these just like tacos — we top them with some shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onion, scallions, pickled jalapenos, a spritz of fresh lime juice, a few slices of avocado, and a drizzle of ranch.
- Enjoy while the peppers are still hot! The combination of hot and cold and gooey/cheesy and fresh/crunchy is amazing.
Notes
- We like lean chicken breast for this recipe, but you can sub in dark meat chicken, turkey, or even beef if you want. You may need to drain off excess fat from cooking the meat if you choose one of these options.
- I like to make my own “taco spice” mix at home, but you can certainly take a short cut and use a store-bought spice packet! Do what works for you.
- If making these ahead or for meal prep, I recommend prepping the peppers completely and baking them off. Do not prep the fresh toppings ahead – they won’t hold up well. I recommend reheating the stuffed peppers when you want to eat them and then serving with freshly prepped toppings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dinner