Southwestern Stuffed Peppers with Chicken and Quinoa

Southwestern stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa are healthy, hearty, and so delicious! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or enjoy them all week in your lunch.

Brightly colored bell peppers, stuffed to the brim with a savory mixture of black beans, quinoa, shredded chicken, corn, tomatoes, and topped with melted cheese, are a filling main dish. There is so much goodness in these stuffed peppers and they abound in nutrition. 

About quinoa

If you’re not familiar with quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah) here are some fun facts from good ol’ Wikipedia. Quinoa is a “grain-like” crop, and what you eat are the seeds. A one cup serving contains 4.4 grams of protein and has a balanced set of amino acids, which makes it a complete protein source, uncommon for food from plants.

Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor and can be used in most dishes that you would normally use rice. It cooks in about 15 minutes.

Another great thing about quinoa is that it is versatile. You can use it to make breakfast pancakes (protein packed!), salads, soups, or dinner! I have lots and lots of recipes on my site that use quinoa.

Or …. you could make these southwestern quinoa stuffed peppers which are delicious, filling, and flavorful.

About these stuffed peppers

You’ll begin by cutting off the tops of the peppers, removing the seeds/core.

Next, you’ll blanch the peppers in boiling water.

What’s blanching? It’s simply a brief stint in boiling water, just three minutes. It is often followed by a dunk in an ice bath.

Fish the peppers out of the water with tongs, and set them upside down to drain all the water out. Blanching the peppers tenderizes them so they’ll be easy to cut and eat.

Next, mix up the stuffing in a large bowl. Reserve some of the cheese for topping.

Lightly stuff each pepper. It’s okay to mound it up and even let some spill out. We’re not fancy here.

Sprinkle a little cheese on top, and bake for 40-45 minutes until the stuffed peppers are heated through and golden brown. 

So good! You don’t really need any sides with this meal because you’ve covered all the bases: protein, grain, vegetables. Hearty, flavorful, satisfying, with plenty of protein. What more can you ask for? 

What’s in stuffed peppers:

• Bell peppers, any color
• Quinoa
• Black beans
• Sweet corn (if you can get fresh, that’s perfect! Canned or frozen works well, too)
• Grape tomatoes
• Shredded chicken
• Freshly chopped cilantro
• Taco seasoning (make your own healthier taco seasoning)
• Mexican blend cheese

Make this recipe your own

• Vegetarian: Leave the chicken out. Between the quinoa, beans, and cheese, these stuffed peppers have plenty of protein. Vegan? Omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese.
• Out of black beans? Try pinto beans. I love to cook up a big batch of pinto beans in the Instant Pot and keep them on hand for recipes like this one. If you haven’t tried your Instant Pot for cooking beans, don’t wait! Beans go from dry to delicious in under an hour, no pre-soaking needed.

Make Ahead Ideas

This is a really quick and easy meal to make if you have some of the ingredients prepped. I use quinoa and chicken from my freezer, thawed overnight. I also like to use my Instant Pot to make quinoa. 

Since this is a pretty large recipe, making six whole stuffed peppers, you could enjoy a couple for dinner one night, and save the rest for quick and filling lunches. 

Storage Tips/Reheating

Store leftovers, individually wrapped if you like, in the fridge for up to three days. Unwrap and heat gently in the microwave until heated through. If you’re reheating more than one pepper, put them into a baking dish, cover, and reheat in the oven at 350°F until the peppers are warm all the way through. 

Like peppers?

Here’s a few more recipes you may like:

• Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Peppers (with video)
• Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers (delicious appetizers)
• Stuffed Pepper Casserole
• One Pan Sausage and Rice
• BBQ Bourbon Grilled Chicken Stuffed with Peppers and Onions
• How to Roast Poblano Peppers (you can use the same methods with bell peppers)
• Chile Relleno Soup with Chicken
• Poblano Queso Dip