If you haven’t tried Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers … you’re really missing out! They are so easy to do and turn out to be quite adorable, if I do say so myself! Whether you’re cooking for little kids or having a festive dinner, everyone will love them!
Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers?? That’s Got to Be hard!
NOPE! This recipe makes it look like you put in so much effort… but it can be our little secret that it will be probably one of the easiest things you’ve done! Plus, the best part is, you can stuff these peppers with whatever you enjoy the most! They are versatile and can fit into whatever flavor style you want!
I chose to make these with chicken, rice, and different seasonings, it was AMAZING! My whole family loved them, and they were healthy! I’d say that’s a two-for-one deal right there! Check out my version below!
Ingredients for the Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers…
- Orange Bell Peppers (I also had a red one so I used that too.)
- Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice
- Ground Chicken
- Frozen Peppers and Onions Mix
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Accent Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Shredded Reduced Fat Fiesta Cheese (Great Value Brand) (This was used as a topping.)
Tools needed for Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers
- Frying Pan
- Microwave
- Microwave Safe Bowl
- Oven
- Oven Safe Dish
- Potholders
- Cutting Board
- Utensils
Where to Start…
Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees. Then the next thing I would suggest doing is putting two bags of Jasmine Rice in the microwave. Cook the rice according to the box instructions.
I actually made three bags of rice, but I ended up having a little over a bag left for 3 peppers. So, I would adjust the amount of rice you make according to the number of peppers you make.
I get to play with my food?!?!
While your rice is cooking wash your peppers and grab a good paring knife. This is where you get to actually play with your food without getting in trouble! YES … I JUST SAID THAT! First cut the tops off and gut the insides of the peppers. Once that is done, use the paring knife to create small faces in your peppers. Don’t be afraid to get creative and change up the faces! BUT make sure you are being safe!
ALSO REMEMBER … Do not go too big on the faces, you still have to stuff them! If you make the faces too big, the stuffing will not stay in the pepper!
This next part is optional!
After the oven has been pre-heated you can put your cutely designed pepper faces into the oven UNSTUFFED. This step is for those who like their stuffed peppers on the softer side. Since everything is pre-cooked, we don’t have to put them in the oven very long, so the peppers aren’t always super soft. If you’re like me and don’t mind a small crunch, then skip this step!
Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner…
While everything else is going, take 1lb of ground chicken and put it in your empty saucepan. Along with the ground chicken, add the frozen peppers and onions mix to your desired amount. (I tend to like more onions and peppers than others so used as much or as little as you like.)
NOTE – We did not have to use any oil or grease for the chicken when cooking since the peppers and onions that were added were frozen. So, keep that in mind!
Winner, Winner Continued Chicken Dinner…
Turn your burner on medium heat and brown the meat until it’s cooked through. While the meat is cooking don’t forget to season it with your favorite seasonings! For this recipe I used …
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Accent Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
All of the seasonings are measured to taste, so measure to your personal taste buds! Also, feel free to switch up some seasonings or experiment on your own, it’s really up to you!
Assemble the Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers!
Now, this is where it gets fun! It’s time to assemble your faces!!!
There are Two Approaches you can take to stuffing your peppers… You can mix all of the ingredients into one filling, or you can take the layered approach. For the peppers your see pictured, I chose the layered approach.
Follow your selected approach below…
The Layered Approach…
Once everything is cooked, you’re ready to get started! First take the Jasmine Rice and spoon it into the peppers. I filled the pepper so that the rice was taking up about one-fourth (1/4) of the inside. After the rice has been spooned in, grab the chicken mixture and spoon that on top. I normally do more meat than rice in my stuffed pepper ratio.
The Mixed Approach…
Once everything has been cooked, take the meat and rice and combine them into a bowl. Mix well so that everything is evenly incorporated. Once the rice and meat mixture have been combined, start stuffing the peppers.
Bake and Enjoy!
After the peppers have been stuffed, arrange them in an oven safe baking dish. Bake them for about 10-15 minutes or until the peppers look softer. In the last minute of baking or right before you’re ready to pull them out, top the peppers with cheese and place them back in the oven to melt.
After the peppers are cooked to your desire, plate them and enjoy!
Final Thoughts!
These Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers are such a cute treat for the Halloween season! The fact that they are super yummy also helps too! It doesn’t matter how old you are playing with your food can always be fun. Plus, it’s your house, you make the rules right!
As always, I would love to hear your feedback. Comment down below your favorite fall recipes I should try! Plus, I would love to see your Jack O’Lantern faces if you make these! Until next time!
The Tastiest Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers Ever!
Equipment
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Microwave
- 1 Microwave Safe Bowl
- 1 Oven
- 1 Oven Safe Dish
- 1 set of Potholders
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 set of Utensils Pairing Knife, Spoon, Spatula, etc.
Ingredients
The Main Ingredients
- 3+ Bell Peppers For this recipe I used the red and orange ones, but you can use whatever colors you prefer!
- 2-3 bags Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice. Depends on how many peppers you are making. I used about 2 bags for 3 medium sized peppers.
- 1 llb Ground Chicken
- 1 bag Frozen Peppers and Onions Mix Nothing Fancy, I used the Great Value Brand.
Seasonings Used
- Garlic Powder (Season to Taste)
- Onion Powder (Season to Taste)
- Accent Seasoning (Season to Taste)
- Salt (Season to Taste)
- Pepper (Season to Taste)
Toppings (These are Optional)
- Shredded Reduced Fat Fiesta Cheese I used the Great Value Brand. This is optional but HIGHLY Recommended!
- 1 dollop Light Sour Cream (Optional)
- 1 Sprinkle Chives (Optional)
Instructions
Where to Begin!
- Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees. Then put two bags of Jasmine Rice in the microwave. Cook the rice according to the box instructions.
- I actually made three bags of rice but ended up having a little over a bag left for 3 peppers. So, I would adjust the amount of rice you make according to the number of peppers you make.
- While your rice is cooking wash your peppers and grab a good paring knife. First cut the tops off and gut the insides of the peppers. Once that is done, use the paring knife to create small faces in your peppers. Don't be afraid to get creative and change up the faces! PLEASE make sure you are being safe!
- ALSO REMEMBER … Do not go too big on the faces, you still have to stuff them! If you make the faces too big, the stuffing will not stay in the pepper!
Optional Step
- After the oven has been pre-heated you can put your cutely designed pepper faces into the oven UNSTUFFED. This step is for those who like their stuffed peppers on the softer side. Since everything is pre-cooked we don’t have to put them in the oven very long so the peppers aren’t always super soft. If you’re like me and don't mind a small crunch then skip this step!
Back to Cooking...
- While everything else is going, take 1lb of ground chicken and put it in your empty saucepan. Along with the ground chicken, add the frozen peppers and onions mix to your desired amount.
- NOTE - We did not have to use any oil or grease for the chicken when cooking since the peppers and onions that were added were frozen. So keep that in mind!
- Turn your burner on medium heat and brown the meat until it’s cooked through. While the meat is cooking don’t forget to season it with the seasoning listed above. (Seasonings are all done to taste!)
Assembly
- There are Two Approaches you can take to stuffing your peppers... You can mix all of the ingredients into one filling, or you can take the layered approach. For the peppers your see pictured, I chose the layered approach.
The Layered Approach
- Once everything is cooked, you're ready to get started! First take the Jasmine Rice and spoon it into the peppers. I filled the pepper so that the rice was taking up about one-fourth (1/4) of the inside. After the rice has been spooned in, grab the chicken mixture and spoon that on top. I normally do more meat than rice in my stuffed pepper ratio.
The Mixed Approach
- Once everything has been cooked, take the meat and rice and combine them into a bowl. Mix well so that everything is evenly incorporated. Once the rice and meat mixture have been combined, start stuffing the peppers.
Bake and Enjoy!
- After the peppers have been stuffed, arrange them in an oven safe baking dish. Bake them for about 10-15 minutes or until the peppers look softer. In the last minute of baking or right before you're ready to pull them out, top the peppers with cheese and place them back in the oven to melt.
- After the peppers are cooked to your desire, plate them and enjoy!
If you liked this post, check out some of my others…
Healthy Turkey Chili in the Crockpot
The Best Homemade Pizza Muffins Ever!
Easy Homemade Chocolate Brownies Recipe.
