Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Printer-friendly)

Tender mini peppers stuffed with savory pesto chicken and melted mozzarella cheese for a satisfying appetizer or light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely shredded
02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Peppers

07 - 12-16 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

→ Topping

08 - 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, pesto, cream cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and black pepper until well blended.
03 - Place the halved and seeded mini sweet peppers cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Spoon the pesto chicken mixture evenly into each pepper half, mounding slightly.
05 - Sprinkle the tops with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
06 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Let cool for 3-5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look restaurant-quality on a plate but take barely half an hour from start to table.
  • The pesto keeps everything moist while the cheese gets that irresistible golden bubble on top.
  • You can make them ahead and pop them in the oven right before guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip seeding the peppers thoroughly—leftover seeds get bitter when baked and nobody wants to crunch into one halfway through.
  • If your cream cheese is cold and lumpy, the filling will be uneven; five minutes on the counter makes all the difference in texture.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet—peppers need space for heat to circulate, or you'll end up with some that are tender and others still firm.
  • If your filling seems dry, an extra tablespoon of pesto or a splash of reserved chicken broth loosens it up beautifully without changing the flavor.
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