Fresh green bell peppers become their own all-in-one serving vessel when stuffed with chicken, rice, mushrooms, and a creamy mushroom-infused sauce to create a weeknight dinner that puts the all the essential nutrients in one easy-to-make and totally delicious dinner.
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You know how you have staples in your culinary repertoire? Those dishes that no matter how gourmet you try to fool your family and friends into thinking you are—and more often trying to convince yourself? The recipes that are the staple for Sunday night comfort food cravings and oh so easy to make on a weeknight, too?
This here recipe is one of them. Crave-a-licious.
I first shared this stuffed bell pepper recipe nearly 5-years-to-the-day-ago and after referring back to it so many times over the years, I felt it needed an update. Five years ago it was one of our go-to, favorite dinners then, and it absolutely still is today.
My mom used to make stuffed peppers with hamburger and tomato sauce, but as I kid I was so. not. into. peppers. Ew. But true to form, I began to like them the more I had them. I keep telling myself my little girl AliSmudge would be making the turn too. And she has. Oh yes, she’s a fan too.
My man and and I came up with this stuffed bell peppers recipe that will forever be in our top 5 favorite meals to make at home: Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers for the all-in-one-dinner-for-the-stuffed-bell-pepper-win.
How to Make Stuffed Bell Peppers with Mushrooms
Come fall, bell peppers are at their prime and that means with each visit to the farmers market, we’re coming home with a sack-full.
My number one tip when it comes to making stuffed bell peppers is to give the peppers a cooking head start before stuffing them. I do this by placing the trimmed and seeded peppers in a baking dish with about ¼ cup of water and sprinkling their insides with a bit of kosher salt, and then microwaving them on high for 10 minutes or so. The peppers are softened and readied for the already-cooked stuffing, making the baking process more of a warm-up instead of a full-on baking experience. I prefer my peppers to be on the less-than-mushy side, so this technique works perfectly for a tender, but not over-cooked bell pepper.
We’ve made versions of these stuffed bell peppers with chicken, without chicken, with rice on the side, with rice added and baked in. Of course we had to add mushrooms. It’s always all about the mushrooms.
My husband and I have been making a variation of this meal for way longer than I’d care to reveal, ’cause you know, I was a child bride and all (*wink). Back in the day we used an onion soup mix as the main flavoring to spike a cream of mushroom soup concentrate to make the creamy filling. If anyone had tested our sodium levels post gorge we would have been straight-up mistaken for a salt lick thanks to the massive spike.
I set my man to task to create a lightened up, non-grocery store mix version. I’m stoked to say, he did it—and then some. It’s every bit as good, and I think way better thanks to the omission of the salty onion mix that we subbed with savory thyme leaves. Today, we make a simple roux with butter, flour and milk that’s reduced for a creamy filling with cooked rice and sautéed mushrooms. PLUS…
This version gets its mushroom-ey flavor from ground, dried porcini mushrooms combined with a load of sautéed cremini mushrooms added to onion and celery for a delicious trilogy of flavor. To grind the dried porcini mushrooms, we use a coffee grinder, or you could also use your food processor instead.
You can always use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe, but if you’re a wanna be meal-prepper like me, roast up a chicken of your own on the weekend (this is one of my faves), shred it and store in the fridge for dinners like this.
The creamy chicken and mushroom stuffing could literally be eaten as a soup all on its own. It’s so amazingly delicious.
What Do You Serve With Stuffed Bell Peppers?
Because stuffed bell peppers are literally a meal in one, the big question becomes what goes with them? Here’s a few ideas to take your one-stage meal to upstage all the others:
A crunchy salad like this one.
These baked carrots. The sweetness totally compliments the savory bites of peppers.
Bread. Garlic toast always makes the meal. Simply spread a loaf of french bread or rolls with softened butter, sprinkle with garlic salt, a bit of dried or fresh minced parsley and parmesan cheese. Toast until golden and serve.
A simple cocktail, wine, or beer always pleases.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers
PrintIngredients
- 5 green bell peppers seeded and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 pounds cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme crushed
- 5 teaspoons dried mushrooms such as oyster or porcini ground into a powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheese such as Monterey jack or cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Lay the peppers cut side up in a 9 X 13 inch pan with ¼ cup water in the bottom. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and microwave the peppers for 8-10 minutes until softened. Drain the water from the pan and set aside.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, sauté onions and celery with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms soften then transfer to a bowl.
- In the same dutch oven or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, scraping bits from bottom of pan if there are any. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so flour taste cooks out and the mixture becomes lightly browned. Add the chicken stock and the milk to the butter and flour mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the thyme, crushing it between your fingers, the ground mushroom powder and season to with the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to medium heat and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by one third. Add the mushroom mixture back to the pan with the chicken and rice and cook until warmed. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Lightly salt (about ¼ teaspoon) the inside of the stemmed and seeded peppers and place in a microwave safe bowl with ½ cup or so of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- Place peppers in a 9 X 12 baking dish, skin side down, and fill pepper cavities with chicken mixture and top each pepper with a small handful of shredded cheese. Add extra filling around the peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and the cheese is melted. Rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Nutrition
More Stuffed Pepper Recipes
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef
- Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Baked Eggs in Stuffed Peppers
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Stephanie S
We really loved these! I blanched bell peppers first as we usually do. Seared and diced the chicken rather than shredding it. Also added some minced garlic. The remaining stuffing was fantastic as leftovers too!
Perfect Stephanie! Blanching the peppers is the same effect as giving them a quick zap in the microwave, so thanks for sharing!
Gail
Yum! The first time I made this was so good I had to make it again. My second attempt wasn’t as successful. The sauce didn’t thicken enough, so I diced the prepped peppers and poured the whole mixture over linguini. The result as fabulous! Thanks for sharing.
What a great idea to adapt it for linguini. I’ll have to try that!
Nancy
I didn’t see this question already asked, but if I missed it I apologize.
Are these freezeable?
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Totally! I’d freeze before baking!
Cinnamon Flowers
i have a question at the beginning of the recipe it says to cut the peppers in half and microwave them. but later it says to put the whole peppers in the microwave in a bowl with water and the picture shows whole Peppers being filled with the mixture. what are the cut in half Peppers at the beginning to be used for?
Andra
Its says cut in half but i see whole peppers in the picture? please advise…
Jerry
Made it. Ate it. Loved it. Great recipe.
So glad you liked it Jerry!
Marie Howell
Almond Boneless Chicken and rice from a Chinese restaurant was the inspiration to seek a recipe to use up the leftovers and this one is delicious! I combined the chicken and rice with mushrooms and half a can of mushroom soup, added some sauteed onions and added breast meat from a leftover rotisserie chicken,some seasonings, stuffed and placed in pan w/ diluted soup left from recipe – baked a little longer, as I used whole peppers. Will make this again!
Sarah
These were so, so, so good. I couldn’t stop tasting the filling before I filled up the peppers. Definitely an involved recipe that takes a good amount of time to put together. I would recommend cooking the rice and chicken ahead of time, and maybe use pre-shredded cheese and pre-sliced mushrooms to save even more time.
The instructions are confusing: the first step says to cut the peppers in half and microwave them (but the picture shows whole peppers) and then a few steps later there is a similar instruction (about salting and microwaving) but it doesn’t mention cutting them in half. I assumed that the second set of instructions was a duplicate from the first so I did not microwave them again for an additional 5 minutes. They turned out plenty tender/soft after being in the oven.
Sue
This was so good!! Subbed 1 box prepared long grain and wild rice for the white rice, so eliminated the salt. Had enough filling for 6 peppers, plus extra to bake on the side. Will definitely be making this again!! Thank you!!!
Candace
Great recipe! I have made this twice now. Thanks for sharing. Yummy!
Sue
Your instructions say cut peppers in half but your photos show whole stuffed peppers? Would prefer whole ones myself. Will give it a try though, recipe sounds good. Thanks!
Ana
Delicious! I love all things with thyme and this is no exception. I didn’t do the second microwave round with the bell peppers as I liked their consistency with the first 8 minutes in the microwave. I subbed in baby bella and white mushrooms as that was what was available at the store. It turned out great!
Laura
What a perfect way to use the end of the pepper crop from our garden! They look delicious!
Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste
These stuffed peppers look and sound so delicious, Heidi! Can’t wait to try them :)
Katie | HealthySeasonalRecipes
I am so in love with this mash up of comfort food! And the local peppers at the farmers’ market are so gorgeous here too right now. I can’t resist them!
Becky
What a fun twist on stuffed peppers. These sounds outrageously good Heidi!!! Hope all is well for you this Fall!!
Liren | Kitchen Confidante
Love that you have made these peppers with a gorgeous creamy mushroom sauce, Heidi. You’ve inspired me to stuff some peppers this week!
marcie
My mom used to make the same type of stuffed peppers and I can’t say I was into them back then either. I love ’em now and this filling sounds so much better than the one I grew up on!
phyllis
Thank you for this recipe, as I have lots of red peppers in my garden ready to pick. Always looking for new and different recipes. Who would think of mushrooms! Can’t wait to make this tonight.
Liz
I love stuffed peppers and they always remind me of my childhood because my Mom would make them at least once a week. AND she actually made them last night and I’m having the leftovers for lunch today. Yahoo! Love the flavors in this version. Gotta try it ASAP!
Jacy
Is the 2 POUNDS?!? the correct amount for the cremini mushrooms? That’s a lot!
YES! 2 pounds of mushrooms, and yes, it sounds like a lot, but yes, that’s the correct amount! So good!
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook
I adore peppers, my Mum pickles them in vinegar – they are fantastic. I don’t stuff them often enough at home and when I do, I normally use a mixture of mince and rice. But I absolutely love your vegetarian version. We are great fans of mushroom risotto – this would so work!
Kristen
We are huge stuffed pepper fans! Loving all these recipes.
Jeanine
Thanks for the link love!
My mom made hamburger + tomato sauce red peppers, and I hated them too :). Or rather, I remember eating the filling but no way would I eat the actual pepper!
Kalyn
I never liked the pepper part when my mom made them, but now I would eat the whole thing!
I too never liked the pepper part but now I’d rather have that half of the time. But just half of the time.
Jen @ Savory Simple
My hubs and I like to joke that I was a child bride because of the 10 year age difference. “When you were graduating high school? I WAS EIGHT, HA”
Love the recipe :)
Hey! We have kind of the same kindling romance between me and my husband, just 8 years. But I always think about me in 3rd grade “liking” a boy 8 YEARS OLDER!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
I wish my hubby loved stuffed peppers so I could make these….heck, I’ll make ’em anyway – more for me! ;)
Rachel Cooks
Yum! These look fabulous. I’d be way more into these than their beef/tomato sisters. I love the idea of the mushroom powder–need to try that asap!
The mushroom powder really does infuse a nice flavor. We find it in our herb designated coffee grinder.
kellypea @ sass & veracity
I’ve been thinking about stuffed peppers quite a bit lately — the good old fashioned type like my mom made — so thanks for sharing these new, gorgeous versions!
Dixya
I love stuffed peppers and it makes such a great starter or even a meal.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love stuffed peppers, a perfect dinner this time of year!
Cathy @ Noble Pig
I love this version! I started making a quinoa ~ Mediterranean style stuffed peeper we really like but I love the mushroom- cheese idea.
Quinoa is a great addition, and gluten free too
Annalise
Totally drooling over all these gorgeous stuffed peppers! Yum!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking
I love that you call yourself child bride! Amazing! My friends and I call one of our best friends child bride. I am really into the addition of ground dried mushrooms! I think a lot of dishes would be so much better with that addition.
Bev @ Bev Cooks
This is making me want to play with dried mushrooms again! What a freaking pretty dish. Is there room in that for my entire life?
Kathryn
I’m totally inspired by this post and all your lovely links. I’m not going to be able to think about anything else until I can make some stuffed peppers!