These Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Peppers are quick, easy, and totally tasty!
You guys are totally going to hate me, but I’ve been holding out on you. I have been sitting on a mini-arsenal of recipes for weeks. WEEKS.
Hello worst food blogger ever! I contemplated stashing them away for the cookbook I’ve been dying to write, but I knew that if I didn’t get some of these into your face fast enough, there would be cause for revolt.
Please don’t revolt. I love you. I’ll feed you guys forever if you just eat your veggies and never leave me. Even when I make terrible, cheesy jokes and then run away for weeks at a time because I’m too stir crazy to sit at a computer.
That’s one of the reasons I love you guys btw, many of you have been putting up with my antics for years! I could probably name a few of you that have been with me for nearly FIVE of them since starting this crazy little corner of the internet oh so long ago. In fact, I could probably blow your mind by telling you that I had a super-embarassing website before this one that I’d been working on since middle school. Yes, middle school. Don’t try to use that to calculate my age or I’ll inundate the blog with beet recipes and bowls of soggy cereal or something equally atrocious. Besides, since I was sick on my birthday this year, it totally doesn’t count.
Seriously, it’s science.
So anyways, thank you for always being here for me though my insane flightiness, even if you only do so for the food. There will always be food, pinky swear.
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Peppers
I feel like I really need to stress the awesomeness that is this dish. I’d scream it from the rooftops in all caps if it wasn’t uber obnoxious. In case you ever doubted it, a stuffed pepper spin on the classic chicken and broccoli casserole is the foodie equivalent of finding a twenty dollar bill in an old jacket. It’s like getting free guac at chipotle awesome, and you know few things can top that!
Of course it’s not rocket science by any means, and it’s easy enough to make that these bad boys are sure to become a regular in your home! Chicken, broccoli, and cheese are one of the most classic of pairings. It just works. It works stuffed inside a casserole dish, it works on a pizza… or a sandwich… or even a soup…. and ohmygooooooosh it works stuffed into peppers. In fact it BEGS to be stuffed into peppers. Why haven’t you done this already!? Why haven’t I?!?
Let’s remedy that, shall we?
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 5 bell peppers
- 1 bunch of broccoli
- 10 oz cooked* chicken breast
- 1 cup freshly grated gouda cheese
- ¼ cup cream
- 1-2 TBSP fresh chopped parsley (optional)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt extra to taste
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- ½ TBSP butter
- 1/4-1/2 cup gouda or cheddar for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice the tops off of each bell pepper [or leave on for a bit of foodie flair!] then cut them in half lengthwise.
- Remove the stem from your broccoli [set aside for later use] so you’re left with 3 crowns of broccoli.
- Next fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
- Bring a large pot, filled to about 3/4 with water, to boil and add your bell peppers.
- Blanch in boiling water for 3 min then immediately submerge into the ice bath to halt the cooking process and prevent soggy peppers. Remove from ice bath after they’ve cooled and pat dry. Set aside.
- You can absolutely steam your broccoli instead, but to save time and yield perfectly tender results, I blanched my broccoli immediately after the peppers were removed from the pot. Simply submerge broccoli into boiling water and blanch for about four minutes or until broccoli is bright green and perfectly tender. If you like yours a little softer, add an extra minute or two to the cook time.
- Strain broccoli, dip in the ice bath, pat with paper towels and set aside.
- Next grab a cutting board and chop your cooked chicken and broccoli into small chunks.
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli, chicken, freshly grated gouda or cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and spices.
- You can absolutely substitute melted cream cheese for the cream if you prefer, or skip it altogether for a lighter option. It’s addition in the recipe is to channel the classic chicken and broccoli casserole and add creaminess to the chicken.
- Next microwave 1/2 a teaspoon of butter with one large minced clove of garlic and cook for 30 seconds to soften. Sautéing will also work!
- Add buttery garlic to the chicken mixture and mix well.
- Arrange peppers on a non-stick or parchment paper lined rimmed baking pan or dish.
- Stuff each with the cheesy broccoli mixture and top with a little extra cheese, to taste. Gently place foil on top (puff it up like a tent so it doesn't snag the cheese off the peppers) to help steam the peppers.
- Bake 350 center rack for 15-25 minutes, or until your ideal level of tenderness.
- Remove foil and broil on high for 1-2 minutes for golden bubbly cheese.
- Garnish with extra parsley and red pepper flakes as desired. Fresh green onion or chives also makes a yummy edible garnish. Have fun with it!
Notes
Nutrition
special diets and swaps
- brontosaurus chefs: skip the chicken and add mushrooms + extra broccoli and you’re ready to veggie!
- t-rex chefs: you’re good to go, have at it!
- vegansaurus chefs: these are a little tricky to manipulate without using faux cheeses and changing the recipe entirely BUT I do have a really rockin’ Hummus Stuffed Peppers recipe for ya!
These stuffed peppers are a fantastic use for leftover chicken, especially if you prep your proteins for the week. The entire cheesy chicken and veggie filling can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days in advance and stuffed into bell peppers and baked when you’re ready to chow down! Hello awesome!
but really . . . how was it?
I’m certain you don’t need more convincing, but in case you need that extra push, I’m going to have to insist you stuff these stuff peppers into your face as soon as possible! They’re SO GOOD! I think my friends only complaint was that I didn’t make enough to go around at our little impromptu backyard barbecue. Next time I’ll double the recipe and squirrel a few away for leftovers too! YUM!
What are you waiting for? Make these Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Peppers right MEOW!
The recipe mentions removing the foil, but I didn’t see anywhere it said to put foil on.
Oh man I must have been writing that up on autopilot. I Usually tent my peppers with foil to prevent the cheese from overcooking and remove the foil at the end. I tent the baking pan it with foil just before baking and I’ll update the recipe card to reflect this. Thanks for the heads up, Cammi! Hope you adore the recipe!
These peppers were amazing! Great flavor, I didn’t blanch the peppers and they were perfect. Such a colorful recipe, love this dish!
I liked the idea of blanching the peppers. I’ve never done that before. I loved the way they turned out. Plus we had leftovers that warmed up perfectly for lunch!
I did this in reverse, I cut up the peppers and stuffed the broccoli, cheese, pepper mix in boneless chickenless chicken breasts!! It was to die for!! Thanks for the idea!!
Such a cool idea Heather! Thank you 🙂
Out of this world delicious! I only had mini bell pepppers on hand, blanched & rough chopped then combined all ingredients and baked, used cream chese in place of cream
Hi Jenn! I’m making these tonight, but I left my peppers whole and big and stuffed them! Any changes in the cook time?! CANNOT WAIT!
Hey Amanda! I’d give it a few extra minutes and go from there! I like my peppers on the firmer side [super soft veggies and I don’t always get along, lol!] so I would just cook them until they’re your idea of perfection on the tender scale. Hope you adore these peppers! <3
Oh my these look delish! What a great idea!
I have been putting EVERYTHING in peppers lately. Totally making this! Also, I hope I’m sick on my birthday next month. I’d like to continue being 29 for another year. Possibly forever.
Pinned this immediately! My boyfriend’s favorite veggies are broccoli and peppers, so I know he will love this.
Yay!!!! Thanks Dani! Hope you guys adore it!
Girl.. You are amazing!! These look delish and can’t wait to try! Miss your face!! Xoxo hope all is well!
MISS YOU TOO! Thanks K-dawg!
This is such an interesting recipe! I am looking forward to trying it 🙂
Thanks Autumn! Hope you love them as much as we do!
You can save a lot of time by not blanching the peppers or the broccoli. They really don’t need it and will retain more of their nutrients with less cooking. I make stuffed peppers all the time and they always come out great with just stuffing them with whatever I have on hand and putting them in the oven. They are also awesome left over. I also cut them in half lengthwise with the stems left intact.
Yes! I love them that way too! Most of my family and friends are used to them on the softer side so I’m often catering to other’s preference – I’ll eat them any which way and the closer to raw the better in my book! <3
You are my Fantasia Barrino/Kelly Clarkson/…(I don’t know any other winners)
Oh Carrie Underwood.
I don’t even know what that means but I’ll take it! =) Winner Winner stuffed pepper dinner!
These look fantastic…..Nice twist on the classic stuffed pepper! yumm
danke darling!
I bought a bunch of bell peppers on sale last week and failed to eat them. I know what I’m making this week with them! Holy tum this looks good!!
Wooooot! It was meant to be!