This stuffed pepper skillet recipe has all the flavors of stuffed peppers without the fuss! It’s high protein, full of veggies, and made entirely in one skillet and the whole thing is ready in under 30 minutes.
One-pan meals are always in the regular rotation around here. Whether it’s my Italian Chicken Skillet or my Easy Taco Skillet, I am totally down with less dishes, less mess, and meals that get on the table 30 minutes or less. This “UnStuffed” Pepper Skillet recipe checks all of these boxes.
It tastes like traditional stuffed peppers, but there is no need to stuff anything. Instead, for this deconstructed version, it’s a quick sauté of lean ground meat and lots of veggie goodness in one pan. Top with some melty cheese and serve alone or over brown rice, this easy weeknight meal will become a new family favorite fast!
Why I love this recipe
- Easy prep: I just use my veggie chopper to quickly prep the veggies that I need
- Quick: I can make this easy recipe in 20-25 minutes
- Great for Meal Prep: it reheats well, and the flavors get better each day, making this a delicious meal prep recipe
- High Protein: it has over 30 grams of protein per serving and also lots of veggies (some hidden!), too. A great low carb option for dinner.
Ingredients
For full ingredient list and amounts, be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You need the following ingredients for this easy stuffed pepper skillet:
- olive oil cooking spray – I use my EVO oil sprayer
- ground chicken – you can use any ground meat – ground chicken, lean ground beef, or ground turkey. It would even be delicious with Italian sausage.
- salt, cumin, paprika, and oregano
- yellow onion
- bell peppers – we are partial to green bell peppers here, but you can use orange, yellow, or red bell peppers
- fresh garlic
- cauliflower rice – upping the veggie power of this recipe by adding cauli rice! You could also use diced mushrooms or grated zucchini
- tomato paste or ketchup
- tomato sauce
- Monterey jack cheese or pepper jack cheese – omit for dairy free
- optional garnish – fresh parsley
Substitutions and Variations
- To make this dairy free, leave off the cheese and sprinkle on some dairy free cheese, nutritional yeast, or top with diced avocado.
- To make this meatless, use your favorite vegan meat substitute, black beans, or lentils in place of the ground meat.
- For an Italian Twist, like my Italian Stuffed Peppers, swap cumin and paprika for some fresh basil or Italian seasoning and top with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
- Use crushed tomatoes or jarred or homemade marinara sauce if you don’t have canned tomato sauce on hand.
- Drizzle hot sauce on top for a spicy stuffed pepper casserole.
Instructions
This recipe comes together in just a few simple steps:
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add olive oil or olive oil cooking spray. Add in the ground chicken and cook, breaking the meat up, until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Add diced onion and diced bell pepper and season meat and veggie mixture with salt and dried seasonings. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Stir in cauliflower rice and garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then stir in sauce and tomato paste.
4. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. The sauce should be thickened and the veggies should be tender.
5. Add in sliced cheese and cover until cheese melts.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve alone or over cooked brown rice.
What to Serve with Stuffed Pepper Skillet
- This healthy dinner recipe is a great low carb option, or 2B Mindset recipe for those who need it. But to make this a compete meal with a carb, I love serving it over brown rice or long grain or regular white rice.
- You could also serve it in a sweet potato or over gluten-free pasta with a simple green salad on the side.
- I love to top mine with fresh parsley or cilantro and even a drizzle of greek yogurt or sour cream.
Storage
Store leftover pepper skillet in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop for a few minutes or until warmed through.
Freeze unstuffed pepper casserole for up 3 months in an airtight container or portion into Super cubes. You can also thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating for best results. Can thaw stovetop in a small saucepan over low heat if you are in a hurry.
More Stuffed Pepper Goodness:
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Stuffed Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 lb Ground Chicken can sub ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 bell peppers diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
- 16 oz canned tomato sauce I use 2 (8 oz) cans
- 4 slices monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
- Optional garnish – fresh parsley
- Optional for serving – cooked brown rice
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add olive oil or olive oil cooking spray. Add in the ground chicken and cook, breaking the meat up, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add onions and bell peppers and season meat and veggie mixture with salt and dried seasonings. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in cauliflower rice and garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then stir in sauce and tomato paste.
- Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. The sauce should be thickened and the veggies should be tender.
- Add in sliced cheese and cover until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve alone or over cooked brown rice.
Christie says
This was so good!! Got rave reviews from my whole crew and they couldn’t believe I got cauliflower rice past them!
Nancylynn says
Lol! This is the best comment! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe!
Rons says
Hi! Made this and it’s delish! Do you know many cups is a serving? Not sure how to measure it out on my plate! I know you said it’s four servings…but how many cups would that be? Thanks so much!
Nancylynn says
You can divide the skillet into 4 equal servings. It should be about 2 cups per serving, but can vary based on how large your peppers and onion are. Thanks for your question!
Katrina says
Whole family enjoyed this! Will definitely make again. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!!
I know you said it is 4 servings, do you happen to know how much a serving would be if I measured it out in cups? I have to double recipes for my family and I couldn’t figure out by looking what 1/8 of it would be. Thanks again!
Jacquelyn Cato says
Absolutely delicious!! So simple too!! Thanks for another great recipe!
Nancylynn says
Love this comment! Thank you Jacquelyn!!