Spanish Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
These Spanish rice stuffed bell peppers are everything you can ask for a stuffed pepper recipe. Check out the very easy recipe here.
Equipment
9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish
Medium saucepan with lid
Large mixing bowl
Aluminum foil
Sharp paring knife
Skillet (for pre-cooking the ground chicken)
Ingredients
For the rice
2 cups water
1 cup white rice - uncooked, 185g
½ teaspoon salt
For the filling
2 cups ground chicken (minced chicken) - pre-cooked and crumbled, about 10 oz / 280g
15 oz corn kernels - unsalted, drained, 425g
15 oz black beans - drained and rinsed, 425g- 15 oz diced tomatoes - with juices, 425g
- 4 oz green chiles - diced, 113g
1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded, 4 oz / 113g
4 oz feta cheese - crumbled, 113g
1 tablespoon cilantro - dried ; or 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro if available
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chili powder- 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the peppers
6 medium red pepper (red capsicum) - or a mix of red, yellow, and orange
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish — or a large rimmed baking sheet — with parchment paper.
- Boil two cups of water in a medium saucepan. Add rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Follow the cooking directions that come with your rice. When cooked through, remove from heat and cover for about five minutes to soak up any remaining water.2 cups water, 1 cup white rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Wash the bell peppers and remove any product labels. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and remove the core and seeds. Tip: red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter and more nutritious than green ones.6 medium red pepper (red capsicum)
- Place the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl. Add the pre-cooked ground chicken, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, green chiles, dried cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Spoon the filling into the prepared bell pepper halves, pressing down gently to pack it in, and arrange them in the parchment-lined baking dish.2 cups ground chicken (minced chicken), 15 oz corn kernels, 15 oz black beans, 15 oz diced tomatoes, 4 oz green chiles, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30–40 minutes until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove the foil, sprinkle the reserved mozzarella and feta cheese evenly over the tops, and return to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.1 cup mozzarella cheese, 4 oz feta cheese
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2–3 minutes, or in a covered baking dish at 350°F / 175°C for about 15 minutes.
Freezing: Cool completely, freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. Keeps for up to 3 months. Skip cheese on top before freezing — add fresh cheese when reheating.
Make-Ahead: Assemble the stuffed peppers up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Add 5–10 minutes to the bake time when cooking from cold.
Substitutions: Swap ground chicken for ground turkey, lean beef, or cooked lentils for a vegetarian version. Use any colour bell pepper — avoid green peppers, which can taste bitter as they are unripe.
Pro Tip: Rest the cooked rice covered for a full 5 minutes before mixing — this lets it absorb residual moisture and prevents a watery filling.
Sodium Tip: At 1421mg sodium per serving (62% daily value), this recipe runs high on sodium due to the canned goods and added salt. Use low-sodium or no-salt-added canned beans, tomatoes, and corn, and reduce the added salt from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon to cut sodium by roughly 40%.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 624kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 38gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 1541mgPotassium: 1460mgFiber: 14gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 4951IUVitamin C: 197mgCalcium: 317mgIron: 5mg
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