If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you know that I have a small (ok MEGA) love for Mexican food. Seriously, I think I have a problem. Just because we’re eating healthy and following the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating, doesn’t mean we need to give up our Mexican delicacies.
You can find my other Mexican inspired recipes here: Refried Beans, Brown Spanish Rice, Zesty Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Casserole, Fiesta Quinoa Chicken Skillet, Enchilada Sauce, Fajita Marinade, Homemade Taco Seasoning, Creamy Taco Soup, and Low-carb Beef and Cheese Enchiladas.
When I list them out there are way more than I thought there were. 🙂 I guess I just keep creating recipes based on my favorite foods.
This recipe was inspired by another Mexican recipe I created, Zesty Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Casserole. My family absolutely gobbles this recipe up but I get bored easily and wanted to recreate it another way.
Enter Mexican Stuffed Peppers. The recipes are similar but the stuffed peppers have some fun extras added in.
This is a larger recipe, it makes 10-12 stuffed peppers, so if you have a smaller family feel free to cut it in half. It was perfect for my of 6. We had 3 leftover which we will eat tomorrow for lunch! Mmmm….I can’t wait.
***To save time on the night of preparing the meal, make the filling ahead of time. I made it while I was making lunch and the just reheated it at dinner. You could make the filling a day or two ahead of time as well.***
Start by bringing the water to a boil. Add the rice, cover and turn down it down to a low simmer and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.
After the rice has cooked for about 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease an 11×17 pan.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green peppers, carrots and green chilies to the pan and sauté until the onion is tender.
Mix in the chicken, salsa, enchilada sauce and spices. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and add the cooked rice and beans to the mixture.
Stir and make sure it is completely combined. Adjust seasoning if needed.
To prepare the bell peppers rinse and dry them first. Cut off the top stem portion of the pepper so it is now open like a cup. Clean out any seeds or white membrane to allow for maximum stuffing.
Scoop the chicken and bean mixture into the peppers and line them in the pan close to each other, but not touching. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove the foil and sprinkle the top of each pepper with just a pinch of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let the peppers sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Mexican Stuffed Peppers (THM: E, low-fat)
Yield 10-12 stuffed peppers
Ingredients
- 2/3 c. brown rice
- 1 1/2 c. vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 med. onion, diced
- 1 med. green pepper, diced
- 1 med. carrot, peeled and diced
- 4 oz. diced green chilies
- 2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 3/4 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. salt
- 3 dashes of cayenne pepper (if you don't like spice omit this all together, or use 1 dash)
- 3/4 c. jarred or homemade fresh salsa (I use this recipe for the salsa and substitute 1/4 t. THM Super Sweet Blend for the sugar. Whatever salsa you use, just make sure it has NO added sugar.)
- 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz. enchilada sauce
- 10-12 large bell peppers, colors of your choosing
- mozzarella cheese
- optional toppings - fresh or jarred jalapenos, cilantro, 0% Plain Greek Yogurt, salsa
Instructions
- Mix rice and stock in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 11x17 pan.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green peppers, carrots and green chilies to the pan and sauté until the onion is tender. Add in the chicken, salsa, enchilada sauce and spices. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and add the cooked rice and beans to the mixture. Stir and make sure it is completely combined. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Rinse and dry the green peppers. Cut off the top stem portion of the pepper so it is now open like a cup. Clean out any seeds or white membrane to allow for maximum stuffing.
- Scoop chicken and bean mixture into the peppers and line them in the pan close to each other, but not touching.
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil. Sprinkle the top of each pepper with a pinch of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and let the peppers sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
***To save time on the night of preparing the meal, make the filling ahead of time. I made it while I was making lunch and the just reheated it at dinner. You could make the filling a day or two ahead of time as well.
Hello Darcy, thank you for the recipe.
Just a quick note: Authentic Mexican salsas do not have added sugar, nor are sweet.
Keep up the good work.
Should this be eaten by itself or do I need to add a side?
I ate one and a half and was full. You could eat one and maybe have a steamed veggie on the side or a small salad dressed with red wine vinegar.
Thanks Lula!
Tasted awesome
Glad you liked them, Charlotte! 🙂
My hubby found the same salsa recipe a couple of months ago and we make it all the time now – so good! Can't wait to try your peppers. I'm new to your blog – very helpful – thank you!! 🙂
Isn't that salsa just the best? I could literally eat with a spoon. 😉 So glad you found my blog.
Lovely and well cooked Mexican stuffed peppers and your describing way i love most. Thanks for the wonderful sharing.
could you sub beef for chicken?
Yes but it needs to be extremely lean and then rinsed under hot water before adding it back into the recipe.
Darcie, I love your recipes and thank you so much for sharing your meal plans with us all! I do have a question, can I use 93% lean ground turkey and still stay in E territory?
You can if you rinse the fat off after cooking.
Thank you!
Can't wait to try this recipe, My Husband Love's Mexican and we are both trying to eat so much Healthier. Let you know the status. Thanks
Delicious thank you
Could these be frozen?
You coukd freeze the mixture, but I think the peppers would get mushy in the reheating process.
Making tonight, it's cooking right now!!! Used 97/3 ground turkey! Trying to decide if I want to do a side veg or not. I'm thinking peas with pearl onions.
Can you use cauliflower rice instead? And leave out the beans and enchilada sauce? I don't care for either.
Sure
What would the total weight be for the chicken breasts?
1 lb
Just came across this recipe. Do you think tjey would freeze. I will probably half it, but irts only hubby and me.
You could freeze the filling but I wouldn’t recommend freezing it in the pepper. I think the pepper would get really mushy when you reheat it.