Make cute, delicious Stuffed Jack O’ Lantern Peppers for 4! Filled with chicken, rice, salsa and cheese, this is a fun idea for a Fall meal!
If you’re looking for a unique, yet filling main dish to serve during the Fall, I hope you’ll check out this fun way to serve stuffed peppers!
The recipe for stuffed jack o’ lantern peppers is fairly simple to make, especially if you can use pre-cooked chicken and rice.
Each stuffed pepper also has Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, as well as chunky salsa and spices, which give the filling a bit of a Southwest flavor.
I’m confident you’ll enjoy these cute little stuffed jack o’ lantern peppers. Here’s how to make them.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe At The Bottom Of The Page
Carve The Jack O’ Lantern Peppers
Preheat your oven to 425°F, so it will be at temperature and ready to go, as soon as the peppers have been stuffed.
Cut the tops off each bell pepper, then set the intact tops aside while you carve and decorate the peppers. Use a spoon to remove all the seeds from inside the bell peppers.
Use a very small paring knife to carefully carve a pumpkin face out of each bell pepper. I make small triangles for the eyes and nose, then carve out a jagged “mouth” on each one.
Rub the inside of the peppers with a small amount of olive oil, then lightly season with a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Put the bell peppers in a baking dish, cut side facing up.
Prepare The Chicken Filling
Place 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken breast into a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rice, chunky salsa, shredded mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, ground cumin, and salt.
Stir these ingredients well, until they’re fully combined. This is the filling you will use to stuff the Jack O’ Lantern bell peppers.
Stuff The Jack O’ Lantern Peppers
Use a spoon to fill each of the bell peppers with the chicken mixture. You should have enough chicken filling to reach the top of each pepper.
Sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the peppers, then add grated Parmesan cheese, to finish.
Carefully add enough water into the baking dish to cover the bottom of the dish with about ½” of water. Put the top back on each of the stuffed peppers.
Time to Bake!
Spray aluminum foil with non-stick baking spray, and cover the dish (sprayed side down). Be careful to not puncture the foil with the pumpkin stems!
Bake the stuffed jack o’ lantern peppers at 425°F. for about 40 minutes. When done, the bell peppers should be very tender and the chicken filling should be fully heated through.
Serve The Stuffed Jack O’ Lantern Peppers
Carefully remove each stuffed pepper out of the baking dish using a spatula, and place them on individual serving plates.
Serve the stuffed jack o’ lantern peppers with the top ON or you can place it alongside the pepper to reveal the chicken filling inside.
Enjoy this filling chicken and rice dish with a favorite vegetable side or salad. We enjoyed the stuffed peppers, served with Grilled Herb Garlic Zucchini and Tomato Basil Drop Biscuits.
I hope you have the chance to make these cute, tasty stuffed jack o’ lantern peppers. They’re a fun dish to make during the Fall season, but are also a nice meal to make any time of the year!
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More FALL Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious recipes, perfect for the Fall season, including:
- Frosted Pumpkin Bars
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Pumpkins
- Hot Spiced Apple Cider
- Apple Cider Bundt Cake
- English Muffin Mummy Pizzas
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll
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Recipe adapted from: mymagazine.us (a mailer from Kroger), Fall issue, page 7
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Make cute, delicious Stuffed Jack O' Lantern Peppers for 4! Filled with chicken, rice, salsa and cheese, this is a fun idea for a Fall meal!
- 4 large orange bell peppers
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt & pepper to season bell peppers
- 2 cups shredded, pre-cooked chicken breast
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1½ cups chunky salsa medium or mild
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Carefully slice the top off each bell pepper and set aside; remove all the seeds. Use a very small knife to carve a pumpkin face out of each bell pepper.
Rub the inside of each pepper with a bit of olive oil, then lightly season each with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put peppers in a baking dish, cut side up.
Place shredded chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rice, chunky salsa, shredded mozzarella, garlic powder, ground cumin, and salt. Stir until combined.
Use a spoon to fill each pepper to the top with chicken filling. Sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs evenly on top, then add grated Parmesan cheese, to finish. Carefully add enough water to the baking dish to cover the bottom with ½" of water. Put the top back on each stuffed pepper.
Spray aluminum foil with non-stick spray; cover baking dish (sprayed side down). Be careful to not puncture foil with the stems! Bake peppers at 425°F. for 40 minutes. When done, peppers should be tender and the filling should be completely heated through.
Remove each stuffed pepper out of baking dish using a spatula, transfer to plates. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!