Description
Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring large red bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground chicken thighs, rice, sautéed onions, carrots, garlic, fresh dill, and crushed tomatoes. This traditional Slavic-inspired recipe combines tender baked peppers with a rich, aromatic filling, perfect for a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 9 large red bell peppers
- 1 tbsp salt (for rubbing inside peppers)
- 1/2 cup water (for baking dish)
Filling
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb ground chicken thighs
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, shredded
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Prepare Peppers: Wash the bell peppers, remove the cores and seeds, and lightly rub salt inside each pepper. Set them aside while you prepare the filling.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground chicken thighs and cook until they are about 80% done, stirring occasionally.
- Add Vegetables: Chop the onions, grate the garlic, and shred the carrots. Add these to the skillet with the chicken and cook until the onions become translucent, infusing the mixture with flavor.
- Cook Rice: Stir in the white rice, salt, and chicken broth. Continue cooking over medium heat until the rice is almost fully cooked, absorbing the liquid.
- Season Filling: Mix in the black pepper and chopped fresh dill. Cook the mixture for another 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors together.
- Stuff Peppers: Generously fill each prepared bell pepper with the chicken and rice mixture. Place the stuffed peppers upright in a deep 9×13 baking dish.
- Add Tomatoes and Water: Pour the crushed tomatoes evenly over the stuffed peppers, then pour about 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish to keep the peppers moist during baking.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 380°F (193°C) for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Rest: After baking, turn off the oven and let the dish sit covered for an additional 30 minutes before serving, allowing flavors to settle and the peppers to soften further.
Notes
- This dish is a traditional Slavic recipe, beloved for its comforting and rich flavor profile.
- The combination of ground chicken and rice with fresh vegetables makes it a balanced, nutritious meal.
- Make sure to not overcook the rice when stovetop cooking initially, as it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 403 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1095 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 74 mg
