Spiced Chicken & Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers

Colorful bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of lean ground chicken, black beans, and mild spices, topped with a touch of cheese and baked until tender. A wholesome, high-protein meal.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 35 min
• Total: 55 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: American
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $2.98/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Nut-Free
• Low-Calorie
• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Saturated-Fat
• Egg-Free

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• healthy
• savory
• crowd-pleaser
• one-pot

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers (large, halved lengthwise and seeded)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pound ground chicken
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounce, no-salt-added)
• 1 can black beans (15 ounce, no salt added, rinsed and drained)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (low sodium)
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese (low-fat, shredded)
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the halved bell peppers, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Lightly spray the inside of each pepper with cooking spray.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess grease.
3. Add the finely diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, rinsed black beans, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
5. Evenly fill each bell pepper half with the chicken and bean mixture. Sprinkle each filled pepper with low-fat shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired, before serving.

Notes

Leftovers store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 362
• Protein: 30.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 26.1 g
• Fat: 15.2 g
• Fiber: 5.9 g
• Sodium: 768 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Sugar: 5.4 g
• Cholesterol: 110 mg