Introduction

Hey there, kitchen pals! Today, I’ve got a recipe that’s like a warm hug on a plate. Remember those summer evenings, the smell of fresh herbs drifting through the air, and a meal that just felt right? That’s what these Greek Chicken Stuffed Peppers bring to mind. They’re ridiculously easy, come together pretty quickly, and the results are just so satisfying. Perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels a little special, or even for impressing guests without breaking a sweat!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Most of the work is hands-off simmering and baking, letting your oven do the heavy lifting.
Easy: Seriously, if you can brown some chicken and stir ingredients together, you can make these!
Giftable: Imagine a batch of these cooling on your counter – they make a fantastic dish to bring to a potluck or a friend’s house.
Crowd-pleasing: The combination of savory chicken, fluffy rice, bright veggies, and salty feta is a winner for pretty much everyone.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our goodies. It’s always best to have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking!

⅔ cup uncooked white rice: This is our fluffy base. You can totally use pre-cooked rice too, just make sure it’s at room temperature.
3 bell peppers: I love using colorful ones for a vibrant dish! Make sure they’re nice and fresh.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: For sautéing our aromatics and chicken. Good quality olive oil makes a difference!
1 pound ground chicken breast: A lean and tasty protein that soaks up all the yummy flavors.
½ teaspoon kosher salt: Essential for bringing out the best in our chicken.
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: A little kick from freshly ground pepper is always better!
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning: This is our secret weapon for that Mediterranean flair.
1 small red onion, diced: Adds a nice sweetness and a little bite.
2 cloves garlic, minced: Because is any savory dish complete without garlic? I think not!
1 zucchini, diced: Sneaking in some extra veggies never hurt anyone! It adds a lovely tenderness.
½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered: These burst with flavor when they cook, adding little pockets of sunshine.
½ cup Kalamata olives, chopped: Hello, Greek flavor! They bring that salty, briny goodness we all love.
½ cup feta cheese, divided, plus more for sprinkling: Creamy, salty, and absolutely delicious. We’ll use some in the filling and some to top it all off.
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped: Fresh herbs are key to that bright Greek taste. Dill is just perfect here.
½ cup water: To help steam the peppers and keep everything moist.
Lemon wedges, for serving: A little squeeze of fresh lemon at the end just brightens everything up beautifully.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get cooking! This is where the magic happens.

First things first, let’s preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Get it nice and warm!
Now, cook your white rice according to the package directions. If you’re using leftover cooked rice, just make sure it’s cooled down to room temperature.
Grab a nice big skillet and heat up that extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add your ground chicken breast, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook it all up, breaking up the meat with your spoon as it browns. Once it’s nicely browned, drain off any extra fat.
Time for some flavor! Stir in the Italian seasoning, your diced red onion, minced garlic, and diced zucchini. Cook this for about 5-7 minutes, until the veggies are tender-crisp. You want them with a little bite left, not mushy.
Now, toss in the cooked rice, those quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, ½ cup of the feta cheese, and that lovely fresh dill. Give it all a good stir to combine everything beautifully.
Carefully spoon this delicious chicken and rice mixture into your prepared bell pepper halves. Fill them up, but don’t overstuff!
Arrange the stuffed pepper halves snugly in a baking dish. Pour the ½ cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish – this is going to create some lovely steam.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. This traps the steam and helps those peppers get nice and tender.
Bake for 30-40 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the peppers are tender and the filling is heated all the way through.
Uncover the dish. Now, sprinkle the remaining feta cheese over the top of the peppers.
Pop them back into the oven, uncovered this time, for another 5-10 minutes. We want that feta to melt and get a little golden and bubbly.
Serve these beauties hot, with a fresh lemon wedge on the side for squeezing. It really makes all the flavors pop!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling creative? I love playing with this recipe! Here are a few ideas:

Chicken Swap: Don’t have ground chicken? Ground turkey or even crumbled Italian sausage would be delicious alternatives.
Rice Options: Brown rice, quinoa, or even couscous can work wonderfully here. Just adjust cooking times as needed.
Veggie Boost: Feel free to add other diced veggies like bell peppers (use the ones you’re stuffing!), spinach (wilt it with the chicken), or even a sprinkle of chopped artichoke hearts.
Herb Heaven: If you don’t have dill, fresh parsley or even a little bit of fresh oregano would be lovely.
Spicy Kick: For those who like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the chicken mixture.

Tips for Success

A few little secrets to ensure your Greek Chicken Stuffed Peppers are absolutely perfect:

Don’t Overcook the Rice: Mushy rice in your stuffing is no fun! Cook it just until tender.
Drain the Chicken Well: Excess fat can make the filling greasy.
Prep Ahead: You can totally cook the rice and sauté the chicken mixture a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then assemble and bake when you’re ready.
Pepper Prep: When cutting your peppers, make sure they sit upright in the baking dish without tipping over. Sometimes a little slice off the bottom of the rounded part helps them stabilize.

How to Store It

Leftovers are a good thing, right? If you happen to have any of these delicious stuffed peppers left, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can pop them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, or gently warm them in the microwave.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Q: Can I make these ahead of time?

A: Yes! You can assemble the stuffed peppers and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking. You might need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Q: What if I don’t like Kalamata olives?

A: No problem! You can omit them, or try using other types of olives like green olives or even chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a similar flavor profile.

Q: Can I freeze these?

A: While they’re best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze the baked and cooled stuffed peppers. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as usual.

Greek Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Ridiculously easy Greek Chicken Stuffed Peppers are perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special. The combination of savory chicken, fluffy rice, bright veggies, and salty feta is a winner for pretty much everyone.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Servings 6 pepper halves

Equipment

Skillet
Baking dish
foil

Ingredients

Main ingredients

0.66 cup white rice uncooked
3 bell peppers colorful ones for a vibrant dish
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chicken breast
0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small red onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 zucchini diced
0.5 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
0.5 cup Kalamata olives chopped
0.5 cup feta cheese divided, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
0.5 cup water for the bottom of the baking dish
Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cook white rice according to package directions, or use cooled cooked rice.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
0.66 cup white rice
Add ground chicken, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned, then drain excess fat.
0.66 cup white rice
Stir in Italian seasoning, diced red onion, minced garlic, and diced zucchini. Cook for 5-7 minutes until tender-crisp.
0.66 cup white rice
Toss in cooked rice, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, ½ cup feta cheese, and fresh dill. Stir to combine.
0.66 cup white rice
Spoon mixture into bell pepper halves.
0.66 cup white rice
Arrange stuffed peppers in a baking dish and pour water into the bottom.
0.66 cup white rice
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until peppers are tender.
Uncover, sprinkle remaining feta over peppers.
0.66 cup white rice
Bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until feta is melted and golden.
Serve hot with lemon wedges.
0.66 cup white rice

Notes

When cutting your peppers, make sure they sit upright in the baking dish without tipping over. Sometimes a little slice off the bottom of the rounded part helps them stabilize.