Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Printable Version)

Tender mini peppers filled with a creamy pesto chicken and cheese blend, baked to golden perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely shredded
02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Peppers

07 - 12-16 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

→ Topping

08 - 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, pesto, cream cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and black pepper until thoroughly blended.
03 - Position halved and seeded mini sweet peppers cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Distribute pesto chicken mixture evenly into each pepper half, creating a slight mound.
05 - Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over each stuffed pepper.
06 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is melted and bubbly.
07 - Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress but honest enough to make on a Tuesday night when you're hungry and tired.
  • The pesto and cream cheese create this ridiculously creamy center that somehow stays light, not heavy.
  • Mini peppers roast tender instead of staying raw, so every bite feels cooked through and intentional.
02 -
  • Don't skip the softening of the cream cheese—cold cream cheese will create lumps in your filling and won't blend smoothly with the pesto.
  • Mini peppers roast much faster than full-sized bell peppers, so the 18–20 minute window is real; check them at 15 minutes if your oven runs hot.
03 -
  • Let your cream cheese soften completely before mixing so you avoid lumps and get that silky, unified filling texture.
  • Keep an eye on the cheese topping during the last few minutes of baking; golden brown is perfect, but burnt edges will taste bitter and undo all your work.
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