SPOOK-TACULAR CHICKEN AND RICE STUFFED PEPPERS

These stuffed peppers are so much fun and great for all ages. I am sharing a simple chicken, rice and beans recipe, but there are so many other ways to stuff them. Most recently, I used leftover pumpkin chili. A fun twist could even be spaghetti, steak and peppers or macaroni and cheese. These peppers are filled with brown rice, but you can substitute quinoa or any other healthy whole grain. Feel free to modify spices based on your taste. And don’t get fooled by the number of steps. It’s really simple…especially if you use a rotisserie chicken and packaged rice.

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2-1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (make your own or buy a rotisserie chicken)

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Rice:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice

• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning (or mixture of cumin, paprika and chili powder)

Peppers:

• 4 large orange bell peppers

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans,

• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar— 1/2 cup (mixture) and 1/4 cup (topping)

Instructions

1. Sauté shredded chicken in pan over medium heat. Sprinkle with cumin, garlic salt, chili powder, paprika and black pepper and mix everything well.

2. Add can of diced tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.  Set aside.

3. To prepare rice, heat oil in medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

4. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until it turns golden.

5. Add cumin, garlic salt and taco seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds

6. When it’s done, add cumin, garlic salt and taco seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds

7. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until rice is tender.

8. Fluff rice with fork. Set aside

9. Bring large pot of water to boil over high heat.  

10. Rinse peppers, slice off tops, and hollow out insides. Remove seeds and white pith.

11. Using small paring knife, cut out face on each pepper.

12. When water boils, add peppers and tops and cook for about 5 minutes or until peppers are soft.  

13. Remove peppers from water and place in a bowl of ice/ice water to cool.

14. In large bowl, combine cooked rice, shredded chicken, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and black beans.

15. Fill each pepper with chicken and rice mixture, and top with extra 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

16. Replace pepper tops back on top of each pepper.

17. Place peppers upright in baking dish.

18. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and pepper is done to desired tenderness.