Pesto Chicken Stuffed Peppers (Print Version)

Mini sweet peppers filled with pesto chicken and melted mozzarella, baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto
03 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
06 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Peppers

08 - 16 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise with seeds removed

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
10 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, pesto, mozzarella, Parmesan, minced garlic, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange halved mini peppers cut side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Spoon pesto chicken mixture evenly into each pepper half, pressing gently to fill completely.
05 - Sprinkle extra mozzarella or Parmesan on top of each stuffed pepper if desired.
06 - Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and peppers are tender.
07 - Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan. Serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • These taste restaurant-quality but come together faster than ordering takeout, and your kitchen smells incredible the whole time.
  • The peppers stay tender and juicy while the filling gets creamy and herby, creating this perfect textural moment with every bite.
  • It's naturally gluten-free, works for meal prep, and honestly looks fancier than the effort you actually put in.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the seeds from the peppers—leftover seeds create a bitter note that shadows the whole dish and makes eating them less pleasant.
  • If your pesto is particularly oily, drain off a little excess before mixing into the chicken, or the filling will slide out of the peppers and pool on the baking sheet.
  • Twenty minutes is a sweet spot—less and the cheese won't be fully melted; more and the pepper walls start losing their structure and turn rubbery.
03 -
  • Buy the best pesto you can find or make your own if you're home—it's genuinely the star of this show, and skimping shows immediately in the final flavor.
  • Room-temperature chicken and cheese mix more evenly and cook more predictably than cold ingredients pulled straight from the fridge.
  • If your peppers are on the larger side, add two or three extra minutes to the baking time and watch them closely so they don't lose their shape.
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