Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
50 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Servings
10 stuffed pepper halves
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Tex-Mex
Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
Description
The recipe begins by cooking brown rice and preparing the bell peppers by halving and boiling them briefly to soften. The chicken is cooked in two stages, first sautéing onions and garlic, then adding seasoned chicken pieces including chili powder, cumin, and paprika. Tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, cooked rice, and fresh cilantro are combined into the filling mixture.
The softened pepper halves are arranged in a baking pan and filled generously with the chicken and rice mixture. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese tops the stuffed peppers before baking. This creates a cohesive, cheesy, and textured filling inside the tender pepper shells.
This dish offers a balanced meal with protein, vegetables, and grains, featuring a familiar layered taco or fajita flavor profile. It can be served as a main course accompanied by sour cream and hot sauce for additional flavor customization.
The recipe is versatile with swaps possible in beans or grains depending on preference.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown rice 2 cups cooked, dry
- 5 medium red , yellow, orange or green bell peppers
- 1 yellow onion chopped (1 1/2 cups, medium
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 Tbsp canola oil , divided
- 1 lb chicken , diced into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tomatoes with green chiles 10 oz can
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed, canned
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 3 Tbsp cilantro plus more for garnish, fresh
- 1 Tbsp lime juice fresh
- 2/3 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
- sour cream
- hot sauce such as Tapatio or Cholula, optional, Mexican style
Instructions
- Prepare brown rice according to directions listed on package. Halfway through brown rice cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees and begin making filling and boiling peppers.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut peppers in half through length (top to bottom), seed and devein peppers, then boil 4 - 5 minutes (fully immersing them in the water), just until tender. Drain well and align in baking pans, set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large and deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden about 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer, transfer onion mixture to a plate.
- Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil skillet, and add chicken, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, the paprika and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomatoes, onion mixture, black beans, corn, cooked brown rice, remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin cumin, cilantro, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until heated through.
- Add a heaping 1/2 cup of the mixture to each pepper half (and slightly press as filling to fit). Pour enough water into bottom of baking dishes to reach 1/8-inch in height (careful not to pour it in peppers).
- Cover baking dishes with foil and bake 30 - 35 minutes, until peppers are soft. Remove from oven, sprinkle tops evenly with cheese then return to oven to bake until cheese has melted, about 3 minutes longer.
- Serve warm topped with more cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce if desired.
Notes
- The filling ingredients can be adjusted with different beans or grains to suit taste or pantry availability.
- Boiling pepper halves briefly softens them for easier stuffing and baking.
- Serve stuffed peppers with sour cream and hot sauce to enhance flavor as desired.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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