These stuffed peppers with chicken, rice and sweetcorn are a delicious, comforting meal that is filling without being overly heavy. Sweet bell peppers are filled with a creamy mixture of ground chicken, basmati rice, sweetcorn, onion and garlic, then baked in a light, creamy sauce and finished with melted mozzarella.
I use light cream cheese and light cooking cream to keep the dish a little lighter while still making the filling and sauce creamy and flavorful.
The peppers are first lightly baked, then filled and baked again in the sauce. The result is tender peppers, a juicy and creamy filling, and plenty of delicious sauce to spoon over the top when serving.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy and comforting
- Made with ground chicken
- Packed with rice and vegetables
- Easy family dinner
- Lightened up with light cream cheese and cooking cream
- No need to cover the baking dish with foil at the beginning
- Delicious sauce for serving
- Great for meal prep
Ingredients
For the Peppers
- 5 large bell peppers
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of black pepper
For the Filling
- 750 g ground chicken
- 180 g dry basmati rice
- 225 g canned sweetcorn, drained
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 150 g light cream cheese
- 150 ml chicken stock
- 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Baking Sauce
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 200 ml light cooking cream
- 100 g light cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Topping
- 60–70 g grated mozzarella
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
Step 1 – Cook the Rice
Cook the basmati rice according to the instructions on the package.
Try not to overcook it. The rice can remain slightly al dente, as it will continue cooking later in the oven.
Drain and set aside.
Step 2 – Prepare the Peppers
Wash the peppers and cut each one in half lengthwise.
Remove the seeds and white membranes.
Lightly brush the pepper halves with olive oil and season with a little salt and black pepper.
You should have 10 pepper halves.
Step 3 – Pre-Bake the Peppers
Arrange the pepper halves in a large baking dish, cut side up.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F), conventional top and bottom heat, for about 10 minutes.
This gives the peppers a head start and helps them become tender during the final baking.
Step 4 – Prepare the Filling
While the peppers are pre-baking, prepare the filling.
Heat a large frying pan and sauté the chopped onion until softened.
Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer raw.
Add the chopped garlic and diced red bell pepper.
Cook for a few more minutes.
Step 5 – Add the Seasonings and Cream Cheese
Add the drained sweetcorn.
Season with:
- sweet paprika
- oregano
- garlic powder
- salt
- black pepper
Pour in 150 ml chicken stock and add 150 g light cream cheese.
Stir well until the cream cheese has completely melted into the mixture and you have a creamy sauce.
Step 6 – Add the Rice
Add the cooked rice to the pan and mix everything thoroughly.
The filling should be moist and creamy, but not runny.
If it looks too dry, you can add a small splash of chicken stock.
Step 7 – Prepare the Baking Sauce
In a bowl, combine:
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 200 ml light cooking cream
- 100 g light cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- salt
- black pepper
Mix well until everything is combined.
The cream cheese does not need to be completely smooth at this stage — it will melt into the sauce while baking.
Step 8 – Assemble the Peppers
Remove the pre-baked peppers from the oven.
Pour the prepared sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, around the peppers.
There is no need to cover the dish with aluminum foil at this point.
Spoon the chicken and rice filling into each pepper half.
Divide the filling evenly between all 10 halves.
Step 9 – Add the Mozzarella
Sprinkle the stuffed peppers with 60–70 g grated mozzarella.
Try to distribute it evenly so each pepper gets a little melted cheese on top.
Step 10 – Bake
Return the baking dish to the oven.
Bake at 190°C (375°F), conventional top and bottom heat, for about 30 minutes.
The peppers should be tender, the filling should be hot throughout, and the mozzarella should be beautifully melted and lightly golden.
If the tops start browning too quickly, loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and continue baking until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
Because every oven is slightly different, check the peppers toward the end of the baking time.
Step 11 – Serve
Let the stuffed peppers rest for about 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven.
Give the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish a good stir.
Spoon plenty of the creamy sauce over the peppers when serving.
And don’t leave that sauce behind — that’s the part people start “accidentally” eating with a spoon. 😄
Tips for Success
Don’t overcook the rice
Cook the rice according to the package directions, but slightly on the firm side. It will continue cooking inside the filling.
Keep the filling creamy
The filling should be moist and creamy, but not watery. If necessary, adjust the consistency with a small amount of chicken stock.
Don’t skip the pre-baking
Giving the peppers 10 minutes in the oven before filling them helps them become nicely tender during the final bake.
No foil needed at the beginning
There is no need to cover the baking dish when the stuffed peppers first go into the oven. However, if the mozzarella or the tops of the peppers start browning too quickly during the final baking, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Let them rest
A short 5-minute rest makes the peppers easier to serve and gives the sauce a moment to settle.
Can I Make These Without Chicken?
Absolutely!
You can leave out the ground chicken and increase the amount of vegetables or rice if you want a meat-free version.
The creamy rice and sweetcorn filling works very well with the peppers even without meat.
Can I Use Another Type of Rice?
Yes. Basmati is my preferred choice because the grains stay nicely separated, but you can use another long-grain rice.
Just cook it according to the package instructions before adding it to the filling.
Can I Use Different Peppers?
Of course.
Red, yellow, orange or green bell peppers all work. You can even use a mixture of colors for a more colorful dish.
Serving Suggestions
These stuffed peppers are a complete meal on their own thanks to the chicken, rice and vegetables.
Serve them with plenty of the creamy sauce from the baking dish.
You can also serve them with a simple green salad or your favorite fresh vegetables on the side.
Storage
Allow leftovers to cool and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
They should keep well for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until heated through.
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