Delicious and beautiful stuffed pasta bell peppers with cheesy noodles and chicken baked into the center. These make a wonderful side dish or dinner when paired with a green salad, our easy dinner rolls, or our favorite whipped brie and crostini side.
This recipe is versatile and wonderful to use as inspiration once you have made it once or twice. Change up the ingredients and make Italian stuffed peppers, spaghetti stuffed bell peppers with meatballs, or omit the meat and make cheesy spaghetti stuffed peppers with veggies and fresh herbs.
We love these peppers for a lighter summer time dinner. They are easy to prepare, and can be added to your menu as a way to use up leftover prepared chicken. Just fill with the chicken and mac n cheese.
What can you stuff bell peppers with?
Bell peppers are known for their versatile and pleasant flavor profile. Sweet and crunchy, they are loved in many cuisines when paired with meats, cheeses, and a variety of veggies. Stuffed peppers are a popular way to enjoy them, so here are some ideas for ways you can change up this recipe and get creative.
- Beef and rice stuffed peppers
- Bell peppers stuffed pepper with cheese and other veggies
- Tuna, pasta and cheese
- Use bulk sausage and cheeses
- Make them Philly cheesesteak style
- Black bean stuffed bell peppers for a hearty vegetarian version
- Change up the seasonings for a Mexican flair, or go big with Italian herbs
Stuffed bell peppers are most often filled with seasoned ground beef, rice, and cheese; but, they are so very versatile you can do pretty much anything you like with them! Use our recipe as inspiration and get creative and resourceful with what you have on hang.
This makes a wonderful kid friendly family dinner! The cheesy pasta is always a favorite with little ones, and the added chicken brings the necessary protein to their diet. Sweet bell peppers are mild and wont turn away too many kids, the biggest struggle you may have is with the texture of the cooked peppers.
What we find is that kids do love the unique way this presents, and they enjoy the idea of eating mac n cheese out of a vegetable. It makes a fun meal that can be as simple or loaded as you and your kiddos like.
Serve it up with a side of our cheesy garlic bread for even more flavor and a little more heft, or keep it light and easy to enjoy with our veggie stuffed mushrooms. They are delicious when paired with lighter meals like this and bring wonderful flavor.
Stuffed Pasta Bell Peppers Recipe
You can use leftover cooked and seasoned chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even some seasoned canned chicken for these stuffed peppers. The pasta can be any that you have on hand, but a smaller macaroni is definitely easiest for stuffing.
The cheese is where you can get creative and use your favorites for the ultimate melt-ability and flavor. Monterey Jack blends are delicious, but you can use cheddar, Mexican blends, gruyere, mozzarella, even queso.
Stuffed Pasta Bell Peppers
Delicious and beautiful stuffed Pasta bell peppers with cheesy pasta and chicken baked into the center.
Ingredients
- 18 oz dry elbow macaroni
- (1) 1/4 Cups gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 Cup white cheddar cheese, shredded + 1/2 cup, divided
- 1 Cup smoked gouda cheese shredded
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- (1) 14oz can cooked chicken breast
- 8 bell peppers
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
- Prepare the macaroni pasta as directed on the package. Cooking until al dente
- While the pasta noodles are boiling, shred the cheeses and then set them aside
- Drain the pasta noodles and return them to the stove on medium heat
- Add in the cheeses and the heavy cream (leave 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese out for the top of the peppers)
- Stir until the cheese are melted and the heavy cream is incorporated
- Add in the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper
- Add in the cooked chicken breast, stir until it is thoroughly mixed in
- Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds
- Place the peppers in a casserole dish bottom down and top side up
- Fill the peppers with the pasta mixture
- Top the peppers with the 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
- Bake for 10-15 Minutes
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 585Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 144mgSodium 797mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 3gSugar 5gProtein 37g
Be sure to try these other tasty pasta dishes!
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Inspired by: Creme De La Crumb.com
Meg @ Noming thru Life
Tuesday 21st of April 2015
Oh my gosh, I just LOVE this idea, I can taste it already! Cannot wait to give it a go :)
Kayti Lavergne
Tuesday 21st of April 2015
Thank you Meg!! I hope you get a chance to try them! They are delectable! :)
swathi
Monday 20th of April 2015
Looks delicious, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning.
Joanne T Ferguson
Friday 17th of April 2015
Always enjoy seeing you posts and thanks for sharing with the Say G'day Party! Pinned and hope to see you on Saturday!
tampacakegirl
Wednesday 15th of April 2015
What a great idea! Yum!
homemadefoodjunkie
Thursday 16th of April 2015
Thanks Cydnee. The family loved this recipe!
Catherine
Friday 10th of April 2015
This is a wonderful idea...it looks delicious! xo, Catherine
Kayti Lavergne
Friday 10th of April 2015
Thank you Catherine! They are really yummy!!