Greek Stuffed Peppers

Name: Greek Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken; 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt; 6-8 bell peppers (tops cut off and seeds removed); 1 cup pre-cooked rice (leftovers, microwaveable, or quick cook); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium red onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes with juice; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon oregano; ½ teaspoon thyme; 2 tablespoons parsley; 2 tablespoons chopped black olives; ½ cup crumbled Feta (optional); ½ cup Tzatziki sauce (optional)

When it comes to making a healthy dinner, sometimes it’s a struggle to come up with new ideas. I love the flavors of Mediterranean and Greek food, it’s always so vibrant and nutritious. Recently, I put a spin on classic stuffed peppers and made Greek stuffed peppers. Let’s just say, they were a total hit (even with my pickiest eater!).

Now I understand that sometimes stuffed peppers can seem like a lot of work to make during the week, but by using leftover or microwavable rice, I was able to prep the filling and stuff the peppers in only 10 minutes. This version uses ground chicken as the protein, but as my husband who’s a rancher always likes to suggest, they’re also delicious with ground beef or lamb too. Definitely give them a try. And if you love Mediterranean flavors, my lamb meatballs and lemon orzo chicken soup are two other comforting options.

Overhead image of Greek stuffed peppers. — 📸 Photography by **Kendra Reeder**

Why you’ll love this recipe

Perfect to serve a crowd. These Greek stuffed peppers with feta are ideal for any occasion. Make them for a family dinner, for entertaining friends, or for transporting to a potluck or gathering.
Twist on a classic recipe with vibrant Mediterranean flavors. We all love a stuffed pepper, and this version is so flavorful and hearty all in one bite.
Easy to customize for any diet. These are so simple to make vegetarian or to swap the protein to make sure they are to everyone’s liking.

Tips for Busy Cooks

If you want to meal prep this recipe, that’s a great option to make your week less hectic. We like to cook the filling the day before and then when we’re ready to prepare dinner, all we need to do is prep and stuff the peppers, then bake!

Key Ingredient Notes

Ground chicken – You can also use ground turkey or ground lamb.
Bell peppers – Choose peppers of a similar size so they cook evenly.
Pre-cooked rice – We love to use leftover rice, microwavable, or quick cooking rice for ease.
Red onion adds rich vegetable flavor and is a signature ingredient for Greek cooking.
Garlic adds a rich, delicious flavor to the stuffing.
Diced tomatoes add a nice and vibrant tomato flavor.
Tomato paste – Concentrated tomato flavor for the stuffed pepper mixture.
Oregano – A warm, dried spice that adds that classic Greek essence.
Thyme – Another herb that is warm but also bright in taste.
Parsley gives so much freshness to the rice mixture.
Chopped black olives add a tang and boldness to the filling.
Crumbled feta is optional, but it’s so worth it in our opinion. Salty, tangy, and delicious.
Tzatziki sauce – A classic Greek yogurt-based condiment that has cucumber, dill, and lemon in it.

How to make Greek stuffed peppers

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 10×7-inch baking dish.

Step 1: Add the ground chicken and salt to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate.

Bell peppers with top removed and hollowed out on a wooden cutting board with a knife.

Step 2: Meanwhile, cut the tops of the bell peppers and remove the ribs inside.

Step 3: In the now-empty skillet, heat olive oil.

Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

A skilled with cooked ground chicken, red onion, and tomatoes.

Step 4: Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

A skillet with tomatoes, ground chicken, rice, olives, and parsley.

Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in ground chicken, cooked rice, olives, and parsley.

A baking dish with stuffed Greek bell peppers that are ready to be baked.

Step 6: Spoon the filling into hollowed peppers, packing in lightly and leaving a little room at the top.

Sprinkle feta on top, if using.

Place peppers upright in a baking dish with ¼ cup of water in the bottom of the dish. Cover loosely with an aluminum foil.

Baked Greek stuffed bell peppers in a white baking dish.

Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until the peppers are tender and the feta is slightly golden.

Overhead image of Greek stuffed bell peppers in a baking dish.

Step 8: Let rest for 2-3 minutes and garnish with extra parsley. Serve as is, or with additional feta cheese and Tzatziki sauce, if desired.

Expert Tips:

When you are shopping for bell peppers, make sure they are all a similar size. We recommend 6 large or 8 medium to fit nicely in the baking dish. When the bell peppers are a similar size, they cook evenly and in the same amount of time.
To cut down on the prep time, use the microwavable rice from the store. This way you also dirty one less pot so clean up is faster.
Make them vegetarian. Swap the ground chicken for chickpeas or cannellini beans.
Add additional spices if desired. Ground cumin and sweet or smoked paprika would both be delicious and add traditional Greek flavor.
Swap the feta for another cheese. You could use grated mozzarella for a gooey cheese that’s mild in flavor.
Use brown rice or a whole grain instead of white rice. Just be sure it’s cooked through before stirring it into the chicken mixture. Some of our favorites are quinoa or brown rice.

Storage

Store the leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

We don’t recommend freezing these Greek stuffed peppers since the pepper will be mushy in consistency once thawed.

To meal prep or make this in advance for an easy weeknight dinner, you can cook the filling up to a day prior. Then all you need to do is stuff the peppers and bake!

Two Greek stuffed peppers on a white plate. More stuffed peppers are in the background.

A Greek stuffed bell pepper that's cut open with a second pepper in the background with tzatziki sauce on it.

FAQs

What is the best sauce to use in Greek stuffed peppers?

We like to use tomato sauce in the rice and meat filling, but we serve the peppers with a classic Greek tzatziki sauce.

What are the most common mistakes when making stuffed peppers?

Be sure to remove the seeds of the pepper using a paring knife. Buy similar sized peppers so they cook at the same rate in the oven. Lastly, don’t overstuff the peppers, this will take them longer to bake and could affect the texture of the pepper.

Do you need to boil the peppers before stuffing them?

No, you don’t. We like to cut that step out for prep time and because we also find that it can easily make the pepper mushy in texture. Just stuff and bake the hollowed out peppers until they are just tender when pierced with a paring knife.