Chicken Caprese Stuffed Peppers

Rob and I took a brief road trip yesterday to visit his family in rural Oklahoma. The one hour drive was nice since the day was absolutely gorgeous. I made him take the “scenic” route on a little, dinky 2-lane highway instead of taking the interstate. Good decision, Colleen. Good decision.

Oklahoma in spring has its moments. Sure, we don’t have cherry blossom trees or fields full of blue bonnets…but when the rapeseed crops bloom, the countryside turns into a magical landscape.

We had to drive through two small towns that looked like they had been forgotten by time. Covington, Oklahoma, was one of them…

I’m actually pretty sad the Dairy Sweet is no longer in business. I bet it was a hoppin’ place back in the day.

When we got home from our travels, we ordered some rotisserie chicken from a new place in town. A pretty decent end to a decent day.

I’m just now remembering that I have two of theses stuffed bell peppers left in my fridge. Oops. I guess I have to eat them today. Don’t have to pull my leg to eat them…

The experimentation with stuffed peppers continues in my kitchen. I wanted something grain-free for dinner, and this idea was born. Fresh mozz would have been better, but I had to go with what I had on hand (shredded mozzarella). I impulse bought a basil plant (and killed it within a few days) so I chopped up a bunch of basil to make these stuffed peppers in true caprese style.

Caprese is simple. Just tomatoes, basil, mozz and balsamic vinegar. A little bit of garlic, and some simple-grilled chicken and these caprese stuffed peppers are a dream come true. If your dreams constantly consist of food, that is.

Chicken Caprese Stuffed Peppers

• Servings: 6-7
• Time: 50 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Caprese-style stuffed red bell peppers with chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 TBS. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt & pepper
• 4 red bell peppers, sliced in half and deseeded
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Balsamic vinegar, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, basil, and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar. Stir in chicken.
3. Lay out bell pepper halves, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put a few spoonfuls of stuffing mixture into each pepper half. Top with more cheese if desired. Pour chicken broth into bottom of pan to help with steaming process.
4. Bake peppers for 40-45 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Serve with balsamic vinegar for drizzling.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, basil, and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar. Stir in chicken.

Lay out bell pepper halves, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put a few spoonfuls of stuffing mixture into each pepper half. Top with more cheese if desired. Pour chicken broth into bottom of pan to help with steaming process.

Bake peppers for 40-45 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Serve with balsamic vinegar for drizzling.