Description
A quick and creamy weeknight dinner featuring bell peppers stuffed with a savory mixture of rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, cheddar, and ranch seasoning, topped with crispy bacon and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers (any color)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
- ½ cup bacon bits (crumbled)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- ½ cup extra shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
- ¼ cup crushed Ritz crackers or breadcrumbs (optional)
- ¼ cup water (for baking dish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Wash bell peppers and cut off the tops (about 1 inch down). Remove seeds and white membrane to create a hollow space. If peppers are wobbly, slice a tiny sliver off the bottom to create a flat base.
- Place hollowed peppers upright in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour ¼ cup water into the bottom of the dish.
- Par-bake peppers for 10-12 minutes until just starting to soften but still firm. Remove from oven.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, minced garlic, and 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar. Mix until smooth.
- Fold in shredded chicken and bacon bits.
- Spoon the filling into each par-baked pepper, packing gently. Leave about ¼ inch of space at the top.
- Sprinkle extra ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top of each pepper.
- Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden, and peppers are tender.
- If using cracker topping, add in the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with green onions and serving.
Notes
Ensure cream cheese is softened to room temperature for a smooth filling. Par-baking the peppers prevents them from becoming mushy. For a lighter version, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream and use light cream cheese. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: stuffed peppers, chicken recipe, ranch chicken, bacon dinner, weeknight meals, copycat recipe, easy dinner, comfort food