These Mediterranean stuffed peppers are quick and easy to make, filled with chicken, rice, tomatoes, and feta, flavored with Italian seasoning and baked until tender and golden. Here's my baked stuffed peppers recipe for a quick weeknight dinner, ready in 40 minutes, meal prep-friendly, with step-by-step photos and a video.
If there's one dinner my family always enjoys, it's these Mediterranean stuffed peppers. I often make the chicken and rice filling ahead of time, so when it's time for dinner, I have to fill and bake the stuffed peppers. It makes busy evenings so much easier, and everyone gets a filling, homemade meal without much last-minute work.
For this Mediterranean stuffed bell peppers recipe, I like to pre-bake the peppers first, so they have a chance to soften before I add the filling. The chicken and rice filling is easy to prepare and can even be made ahead, which makes this a handy recipe for busy weeknights or meal prep.
I love how feta adds a salty, tangy flavor to the chicken and rice filling, while the melted mozzarella on top makes these chicken stuffed peppers extra delicious. My kids love them, and I often serve them with my Greek yogurt cucumber salad for a simple Mediterranean dinner.
For more Mediterranean recipes, try my Mediterranean stuffed chicken breast, oven-roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs, and Mediterranean roasted vegetables.
Why You'll Love This Stuffed Pepper Recipe
- Quick and easy weeknight dinner: Quick to prep and easy to bake, with less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.
- Flavorful chicken and rice filling: Chicken, tomatoes, feta, and Mediterranean spices make the filling delicious.
- Meal prep-friendly: Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. When ready to cook, pre-bake the peppers, stuff them, and bake.
- Easy to customize: Make it vegetarian by replacing the chicken with cooked potatoes or cooked chickpeas.
Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers Ingredients
This Mediterranean pepper recipe uses simple ingredients, with chicken and rice for the filling, tomatoes and feta for flavor, and mozzarella for a cheesy topping. Here's what you'll need.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Bell peppers: Use large bell peppers in any color. Red, yellow, and orange peppers are naturally sweeter, while green peppers have a slightly stronger flavor.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped. You can use chicken thighs, shredded chicken, or any of your favorite ground meats like turkey.
- Tomatoes: Fresh chopped tomatoes add moisture and flavor to the filling. You can also use canned diced tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cooked rice: Use any cooked rice you have on hand. I used brown rice.
- Italian seasoning: Adds delicious flavor and a lovely aroma to the chicken and rice filling.
- Paprika: Optional, but I like a little bit of spice in my stuffed peppers. You can also use red pepper flakes or skip it.
- Feta cheese: I love feta as it adds a salty, tangy flavor to the chicken and rice filling.
- Mozzarella: Melts over the stuffed peppers and gives them a delicious cheesy topping. You can use any other cheese of your choice.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a little freshness and color.
Variations to Try
- Ground meat: Ground turkey or other ground meat can be used instead of chicken.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with cooked potatoes, cooked chickpeas, paneer, or tofu.
- Add greens: Stir in spinach or other leafy greens.
- Grain: Replace brown rice with quinoa.
How to make Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers
1. Prepare the bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Chop off the tops of the peppers (discard them) and scoop out the seeds and membranes. If the peppers don't stand upright, trim a little off the bottom without making a hole. Set aside. Arrange them in a baking dish and add enough water to just cover the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Pre-bake the peppers: Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. This will give the bell peppers a head start and will soften them. Remove and set aside.
3. Cook the chicken filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until light golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F (74°C) internally.
5. Add the seasoning: Add tomatoes, paprika, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Be careful with the salt, as feta is added later. Add a little less salt than you normally would. Cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
6. Add cooked rice: Stir in cooked rice, feta, and parsley. Combine well. Taste and add lemon juice, if required. I added a little. Remove from heat.
Pro Tip: The filling should be moist, not dry or watery.
7. Stuff the peppers: Fill each bell pepper with the chicken and rice filling. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
8. Bake the stuffed peppers: Bake on the middle rack at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted. Move the baking dish to the top rack and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden. Watch closely, as the cheese can burn quickly. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Tips to make the Best Stuffed Peppers Recipe
- Choose large, firm bell peppers: Red, yellow, and orange peppers work well and are naturally sweeter after baking.
- Do not overcook the chicken: Cook it just until done while preparing the filling. It will cook a little more while the peppers bake.
- Do not overfill the peppers: Spoon the filling in gently and leave a little space at the top so it doesn't spill while baking.
Meal Prep, Storage & Reheating Stuffed Peppers
- Meal prep: Prepare the filling in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to cook, pre-bake the peppers, stuff them, and bake.
- Storage: Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also cover the baking dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Let them cool slightly before refrigerating.
- Reheat: Reheat stuffed peppers in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave on medium power until heated through. I prefer reheating them in the oven because they warm more evenly and the cheese stays soft. Cover loosely with foil so the peppers don't dry out.
My tip: I have tested these for meal prep, and I find they reheat best in the oven. If you are short on time, the microwave works well too, especially for individual portions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Use about 2 cups of cooked shredded or chopped chicken instead of raw chicken. Add it with the tomatoes and seasonings and cook just until heated through.
Mediterranean stuffed peppers can be served as a complete meal with Greek yogurt cucumber salad, Mediterranean roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. They also make a good side dish with grilled chicken or fish.
Yes. You can prepare and stuff the peppers up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate them until ready to bake. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking them straight from the refrigerator.
Recipe Card
Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed pan
- 1 Baking dish, large enough to hold 4 bell peppers
Ingredients
For the peppers
- 4 large bell peppers, any color
For the chicken and rice filling
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 400 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped or ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked rice
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice, or to taste
For topping
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Italian seasoning as needed
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the bell peppers.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Chop off the tops of the peppers (discard them) and scoop out the seeds and membranes. If the peppers don't stand upright, trim a little off the bottom without making a hole. Set aside. Arrange them in a baking dish and add enough water to just cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake the peppers for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. This gives the bell peppers a head start and will soften them. Remove and set aside.
Cook the chicken filling
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until light golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F (74°C) internally.
- Add tomatoes, paprika, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Be careful with the salt, as feta is added later. Add a little less salt than you normally would. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.
- Stir in cooked rice, feta, and parsley. Combine well. Taste and add lemon juice, if required. I added a little. Remove from heat.
Bake the stuffed peppers
- Stuff the peppers: Fill each bell pepper with the chicken and rice filling. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Bake the stuffed peppers: Bake on the middle rack at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted. Move the baking dish to the top rack and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden. Watch closely, as the cheese can burn quickly. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Choose large, firm bell peppers: Red, yellow, and orange peppers work well and are naturally sweeter after baking.
- Do not overcook the chicken: Cook it just until done while preparing the filling. It will cook a little more while the peppers bake.
- Meal prep: Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Bake the peppers for 10 minutes before stuffing and baking as directed.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, loosely covered with foil, or microwave until heated through.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
