Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Printer-Friendly)

Tender mini peppers stuffed with creamy pesto chicken and three cheeses, baked until bubbly golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely shredded
02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Peppers

07 - 12 to 16 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

→ Topping

08 - 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a medium bowl, mix the shredded chicken, pesto, cream cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Arrange the halved and seeded mini sweet peppers cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Spoon the pesto chicken mixture evenly into each pepper half, mounding slightly.
05 - Sprinkle the tops with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
06 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Let cool for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They look impressive enough to serve at a dinner party but simple enough that you won't stress while making them.
  • The pesto keeps everything moist and flavorful, so there's no dry chicken situation to worry about.
  • Mini peppers cook quickly and stay slightly crisp—they don't turn into mushy sad vegetables.
02 -
  • Don't skip the softening step for the cream cheese—if it's cold, it won't mix smoothly and you'll end up with tiny lumps in your filling.
  • Mini peppers vary in size, so rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking if you notice some are browning faster than others.
03 -
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to divide the filling evenly—it makes the process faster and ensures every pepper gets the same amount.
  • If your pesto is particularly thick or oily, stir it into the cream cheese first before adding the chicken so it distributes more evenly throughout the filling.
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