We love using cooked rice and chicken in our recipe from a previous meal that repurposes leftovers perfectly.
You may like the traditional style Mom's Style Stuffed Peppers version which is the traditional classic with meat and rice.
Through the years we have found the flavor of the pepper makes a nice vessel for chili or taco fillings, sloppy joe and so many other classic meals to eliminate any kind of bread with the meal.
Below you will find several suggestions and substitutions for the rice to make a new filling every time using this basic recipe as a guideline.
The chicken parmesan style is a winner in our home and you can even use premade frozen breaded chicken to save time.
If you love stuffed peppers which is such an easy casserole you may also love my Best Americana talian Loved Family Recipe collection.
Take a look at this easy recipe and it's printable just scroll to the bottom, but do check out my tips and other suggestions also.
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Pepper Steps
- clean and remove the seeds from the peppers then slice in have
- lay them into a greased casserole dish
- fill with leftover cooked rice and cooked chicken
- add the sauce and mozzarella cheese
- bake at 400 degrees loaded with cheese until the pepper is soft
- serve with more Parmesan cheese
Shopping List
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements
- Bell Peppers assorted colors or all Green cleaned, membranes removed and sliced lengthwise
- Cooked boneless chicken cubed ( I usually make soup with breast or thigh meat or a combination and use the chicken from it) rotisserie chicken, and leftover baked chicken all work great, or frozen breaded chicken cubed
- Cooked rice ( any kind of rice you prefer) or use raw minute rice
- Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Shredded mozzarella divided or shredded provolone ( 1 cup goes into the filling the other cup on top)
- Crushed canned tomatoes or chopped whole tomatoes peeled and diced ( you can also use your favorite marinara sauce in a jar or use homemade sauce)
- white wine or chicken broth
- leaves of fresh basil
- minced garlic
- dried Italian seasoning
- Olive oil to drizzle over the top
- salt, and pepper to taste
- Optional: Panko breadcrumbs, granulated garlic powder
- Options: mushrooms, diced zucchini, diced eggplant, white beans, chopped celery, chopped artichoke hearts, black olives sliced, shredded carrots, fresh peas
Other Additions Suggestions:
(use in addition to or combination substitutions for rice)
- black olives
- sliced mushrooms
- diced zucchini
- chopped eggplant
- white cannellini beans or other beans
- shredded julienne carrots
- diced celery
- peas
- chopped asparagus
Other Stuffed Pepper Filling Combinations:
- Buffalo chicken and Cheddar Cheese using buffalo sauce, chopped celery, chicken, cheese, and diced tomatoes
- Ground chicken cooked with wild cooked rice and diced mushrooms
- All vegetables using zucchini, onions, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes with Parmesan cheese
- Chicken, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes chopped, and mozzarella cheese
- Chicken, rice, shredded carrots, celery, garlic, and black beans with tomato sauce and cheese
- Chicken sauteed with taco seasoning, beans, rice, and diced tomatoes with cheddar
- Chicken, ricotta cheese, spinach, chopped tomatoes topped with sauce and mozzarella
- Leftover steak strips with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, rice
- Sloppy Joe filling, cheese, rice
- Leftover chili, cheese, rice,
- Cooked broccoli, rice, Swiss cheese or cheddar
- Cooked finely chopped Italian sausage, diced onion, diced tomatoes, and rice with mozzarella
- Leftover mashed meatballs in sauce, mozzarella, rice
- Cooked boneless pork tenderloin diced, cooked rice, mozzarella
- Tuna, cheddar, rice (or another seafood you prefer)
- Ground beef or lamb cooked, mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, and brown gravy
Tips:
- Use cooked rice any kind brown or white or even wild rice
- Make sure the meat is cooked and boneless flavored with herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic
- Rotisserie chicken is a great alternative
- Leftover chicken cutlets also work well with this meal
- You can substitute cooked Quinoa for rice or another grain you prefer
- Any shredded cheese you like can be used we prefer provolone or Italian blends
- For softer peppers roast them first at 400 degrees for around 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size
- For crispier topping or pepper broil on medium heat for 2 minutes watching carefully
- For colorful stuffed peppers use assorted bell peppers in yellow, red, and green
Pin for later
More Recipes We Love
15 Pasta Recipes
20 Bean Recipes
Favorite One-Pan Recipes
Versatile Stuffing for Peppers
If you love stuffed peppers, this is the easiest recipes and so versatile just go through our list or so many more possibilites.
Peppers are the perfect vessel for stuffing and repurposing leftovers and the start of many meals quickly prepared.
If you're a fan of the classic don't forget to try Mom's Stuffed Italian Pepper recipe.
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Peppers
Yield: 12
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Peppers are an American version with chicken parmesan style with rice and a delicious change to the classic.
Ingredients
- 6 Bell Peppers assorted colors or all Green cleaned, membranes removed and sliced lengthwise
- 2 cups cooked boneless leftover cooked chicken cubed ( rotisserie chicken and leftover baked chicken, or frozen cubed breaded boneless chicken tenders can be used)
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for garnishing
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella divided or shredded provolone ( 1 cup goes into the filling the other cup on top)
- 1 28-ounce can of crushed canned tomatoes or chopped whole tomatoes peeled and diced ( you can also use your favorite marinara sauce in a jar or use homemade sauce)
- 1/4 white wine or chicken broth
- 3 leaves of fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- Olive oil to drizzle over the top
- salt, and pepper to taste
- Optional: Panko breadcrumbs, granulated garlic powder
- Options to add to the rice: 1/4 cup any of these, mushrooms, diced zucchini, diced eggplant, white beans, chopped celery, chopped artichoke hearts, black olives sliced, shredded carrots, fresh peas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and oil spray a casserole dish big enough for the peppers.
- Slice the peppers, lengthwise so you have 2 halves
- Note: for a softer pepper place the peppers in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast them for around 20 minutes depending on the thickness ( this method will make a softer pepper). Cool before stuffing them slightly.
- In the meantime prepare the filling:
- In a large bowl add the cooked chicken (if using raw cook this first), cooked rice, minced garlic,1 cup of crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, dried seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- In a baking casserole add around 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place them in the casserole dish.
- Top each pepper with the rest of the crushed tomatoes, and remaining cheese, sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs if using, granulated garlic powder evenly over each one, and drizzle each one with a little bit of olive oil.
- Pour the wine or chicken broth around the bottom of the pan not touching the stuffing.
- Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese melts and the peppers are cooked until the cheese is melted around 25 minutes.
- For crispier cheese broil the top for 2 minutes watching carefully
Notes
Tips:
- Use cooked rice any kind brown or white or even wild rice
- Make sure the meat is cooked and boneless flavored with herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic
- Rotisserie chicken is a great alternative
- Leftover chicken cutlets also work well with this meal
- You can substitute cooked Quinoa for rice or another grain you prefer
- Any shredded cheese you like can be used we prefer provolone or Italian blends
- For softer peppers roast them first at 400 degrees for around 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size
- For crispier topping or pepper broil on medium heat for 2 minutes watching carefully
- For colorful stuffed peppers use assorted bell peppers in yellow, red, and green
Other Stuffed Pepper Filling Combinations:
- Buffalo chicken and Cheddar Cheese using buffalo sauce, chopped celery, chicken, cheese, and diced tomatoes
- Ground chicken cooked with wild cooked rice and diced mushrooms
- All vegetables using zucchini, onions, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes with Parmesan cheese
- Chicken, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes chopped, and mozzarella cheese
- Chicken, rice, shredded carrots, celery, garlic, and black beans with tomato sauce and cheese
- Chicken sauteed with taco seasoning, beans, rice, and diced tomatoes with cheddar
- Chicken, ricotta cheese, spinach, chopped tomatoes topped with sauce and mozzarella
- Leftover steak strips with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, rice
- Sloppy Joe filling, cheese, rice
- Leftover chili, cheese, rice,
- Cooked broccoli, rice, Swiss cheese, or cheddar
- Cooked finely chopped Italian sausage, diced onion, diced tomatoes, and rice with mozzarella
- Leftover mashed meatballs in sauce, mozzarella, rice
- Cooked boneless pork tenderloin diced, cooked rice, mozzarella
- Tuna, cheddar, rice (or another seafood you prefer)
- Ground beef or lamb cooked, mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, and brown gravy
.jpg)
Pin for later
More Recipes We Love
5 French Bread Stuffed
Chicken Parm Subs
Italian Sloppy Joes
Chicken Parmesan Fagioli
