5 Minute Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers Joy

No heading needs to be written for the introduction.

If you’re anything like me, you need dinner on the table fast but refuse to sacrifice flavor. That’s where these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers come in—they are an absolute game-changer for busy weeknights! I’m Anna, and I love sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes designed to make everyday cooking easier and bring a little more joy to your kitchen.

Forget complicated steps; these peppers deliver that bold, spicy kick you crave in a perfect, low-carb package. We’re talking tender baked peppers loaded with creamy, cheesy Buffalo chicken goodness. Seriously, you can have this entire meal ready in under an hour. It’s quick, it’s satisfying, and it’s guaranteed to become a staple in your rotation!

Gathering Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Okay, friends, let’s talk about what makes these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers so incredibly creamy and flavorful. It’s all about having the right elements ready before you even turn the oven on. Don’t rush this part; having everything prepped makes the assembly feel like a breeze!

Essential Components for the Filling

For the heart of the filling, we need about two cups of cooked chicken breast, nicely shredded—using rotisserie chicken cuts the time down immensely, trust me on that one! Then, for that signature punch, grab your favorite cayenne-based hot sauce; you’ll need half a cup. The creaminess comes from four ounces of cream cheese, make sure it’s softened up so it blends smoothly, and half a cup of plain Greek yogurt. We also mix in one cup of cheddar jack cheese, but hold back half of that for the topping later!

Preparing the Bell Pepper Vessels

The peppers themselves are the star structure here. You’ll want four large bell peppers. I usually grab a mix of red, orange, or yellow because they taste sweeter when baked, but any color works! You need to slice them in half lengthwise and make sure you scoop out all those seeds and the white membrane inside. We need clean, sturdy boats for our spicy filling!

Flavor Enhancers and Garnish

We can’t forget the seasoning that makes chicken taste like Buffalo chicken! That means one teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. If you happen to have ranch dressing seasoning on hand, throw in a tablespoon—it really amps up the flavor depth, but if you don’t have it, no biggie! Finally, we’ll need a quarter cup of thinly sliced green onions to sprinkle on top for that fresh pop right before serving.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Now that we have our beautiful ingredients ready, let’s get these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers into the oven. This process is super straightforward, but the timing on the two separate bakes is what makes the peppers perfectly tender-crisp, not mushy. You’ve got this!

Prepping the Peppers and Oven Setup

First things first, crank that oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or 200 Celsius. Grab your 9×13 baking dish and give it a light greasing—a little olive oil spray works great. Arrange your prepped pepper halves in the dish, making sure they are cut-side up so they can hold all that delicious filling. Drizzle them lightly with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle them evenly with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Pop these empty pepper boats into the hot oven for exactly 15 minutes. This initial bake softens them up just enough!

Mixing the Spicy Chicken Filling

While those peppers are softening, it’s time to make the magic happen in a separate bowl. Toss in your two cups of shredded chicken, the half cup of hot sauce, the four ounces of softened cream cheese, the half cup of Greek yogurt, the garlic powder, and onion powder. Don’t forget to add half of your shredded cheese—that’s half a cup—right into this mix. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula and mix everything together thoroughly. You want a homogenous, creamy, spicy mixture where everything is evenly coated. Don’t stop mixing until you don’t see any plain cream cheese streaks!

Assembling and Final Baking

After 15 minutes, carefully pull the baking dish out. Now, take your delicious chicken mixture and spoon it generously into each pepper half, distributing it evenly. Don’t be shy; pack it in there! Once loaded, sprinkle the remaining half cup of cheese right over the top of all the peppers. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. We are looking for two things here: the peppers should be tender-crisp, and that cheese topping needs to be bubbly and just starting to get those lovely light brown spots. Always double-check that the internal temperature of the chicken filling hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) for safety!

Finishing Touches and Serving

Once they come out smelling incredible, take them straight to the table. Before anyone dives in, garnish the tops liberally with that quarter cup of thinly sliced green onions. The fresh onion cuts through the richness perfectly. Serve them right out of the dish—they are a fantastic, easy main course! If you enjoy quick, flavorful chicken meals like this, you might also love my recipe for easy creamy oven baked chicken thighs recipe.

Tips for Perfect Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

When making Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers, a few little tricks can take them from good to absolutely fantastic. I’ve learned these through making this recipe dozens of times for my family when we need something fast and satisfying. Paying attention to the pepper structure makes serving so much easier later on.

Speeding Up Prep with Cooked Chicken

If you’re trying to get these on the table in under an hour, you absolutely must use pre-cooked chicken. Honestly, grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store is my favorite shortcut. It’s already seasoned and perfectly tender, so you just shred it right into the bowl. It saves you that initial step of boiling or baking chicken breast, which means dinner is ready faster! For more quick chicken ideas, check out my skillet bang bang chicken thighs.

Achieving the Ideal Pepper Base

Sometimes, depending on how the pepper naturally grew, those halves wobble when you set them in the pan. Don’t worry if yours lean over! To fix this, just take a small paring knife and slice a very thin, straight strip right off the bottom of the pepper half. This creates a flat base so your finished Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers sit up straight and proud on the plate.

Getting a Cheesy Brown Crust

If you want that beautiful, slightly crispy, browned cheese crust—the kind that makes everyone reach for their fork first—you need to use the broiler for the very end. After the peppers have baked for the full 20 minutes, switch your oven to broil for just the last two minutes. Watch them like a hawk during this step because cheese burns fast, but wow, that crispy top is worth the extra attention! If you love seeing how others create amazing recipes, follow along on Pinterest.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

One of the best things about making a big batch of these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers is having leftovers for lunch the next day! They reheat beautifully, but we do need to be mindful of how we store them, especially because of the moisture in the peppers and the dairy in the filling.

Storing Leftovers Safely

When you have leftovers, let them cool down a bit before you put them away. Then, transfer the peppers into a shallow, airtight container. I find that if you place them in a single layer, they reheat more evenly later on. You can safely keep these flavorful leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. That’s a great amount of time for quick lunches! If you are looking for other ways to use up cooked chicken, consider my easy chicken salad.

Now, here’s a big note about freezing them:

Storage Method	Recommended Duration	Notes
Refrigerator (Airtight)	Up to 4 Days	Best quality and texture maintained.
Freezer	Not Advised	Peppers become very watery upon thawing due to high water content.

I really suggest avoiding the freezer entirely with this recipe. When you thaw bell peppers, they release a ton of water, and the texture just turns mushy. It ruins that nice tender-crisp quality we worked so hard to achieve during the initial bake!

Frequently Asked Questions About Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

How to Adjust the Spice Level

If you love the flavor but maybe not the raging fire, adjusting the spice in your Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers is super easy. My first suggestion is to use a milder hot sauce instead of a straight cayenne-based one. You still get that signature tang, just less heat! Another trick is to reduce the hot sauce amount slightly—maybe use just a third of a cup—and add an extra tablespoon of the Greek yogurt or a splash of milk. This thins the sauce just enough to bring the heat down while keeping the filling creamy.

What Cheese Works Best Besides Cheddar Jack

Cheddar Jack is great because it melts beautifully, but you have so many options! If you want a little more kick, go for Pepper Jack—it mirrors the Buffalo sauce spice nicely. If you prefer a milder, creamier melt, Monterey Jack on its own is fantastic. Honestly, even a good sharp white cheddar works well if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure you shred it yourself; pre-shredded cheese often has anti-caking agents that prevent that perfect, bubbly top we want on our stuffed peppers.

Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time

Yes, you absolutely can prep ahead, which is a lifesaver on busy days! I strongly recommend making the spicy chicken filling completely—mixing the chicken, sauces, and cheeses—and storing that mixture in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days. When you’re ready to eat, just stuff the raw peppers, top with cheese, and bake according to the recipe instructions. Just remember that the initial 15-minute pepper softening bake might need an extra five minutes since the filling will be cold going in! For another great make-ahead chicken dish, try my crockpot chicken enchilada casserole.

Nutritional Information Disclaimer

I want to be super clear about the nutritional values listed for these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers. Since I’m a home cook sharing what works for my family, the exact calorie and macro counts can bounce around quite a bit depending on what brand of hot sauce you pick or the fat content in your Greek yogurt.

The numbers I provide, like the 340 calories and 32 grams of protein per serving, are just a good guideline based on standard ingredients. They aren’t guaranteed since your specific ingredients might differ! For precise tracking, you’d need to plug in the exact values from the labels of the hot sauce, cheese, and yogurt you use into your favorite tracking app. My focus is always on making sure these are delicious and low-carb, not on providing a certified lab analysis!

Share Your Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers Experience

I truly hope this recipe brings some easy, spicy joy to your dinner table! Making these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers is one of my favorite ways to serve up a healthy meal without spending ages in the kitchen. I’m always so excited to hear how they turned out for you and your family.

Please take a second to rate this recipe right here on the blog—five stars if you loved that creamy kick! And if you have any questions about substitutions, or if you tried a variation that just blew your mind, drop a comment below. I read every single one, and I love chatting with you all about making weeknight cooking simpler and tastier!

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