Chicken Florentine Stuffed Peppers (Printable version)
Bell peppers stuffed with chicken, spinach and three cheeses, baked until golden and bubbly.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 large bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeded
03 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, divided
09 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened to room temperature
→ Pantry and Seasonings
10 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend (basil, oregano, thyme)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Optional
14 - Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray, ensuring it is large enough to hold four peppers upright.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the prepared bell peppers into the water and blanch for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Remove with tongs, drain well, and set aside to cool.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent and softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the chopped spinach to the skillet with the aromatics and sauté, stirring frequently, until completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sautéed onion and garlic, wilted spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, Italian herb blend, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
06 - Divide the chicken Florentine filling evenly among the four blanched bell peppers, pressing gently to pack the mixture. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of each stuffed pepper.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the peppers are fork-tender and the mozzarella topping is melted, golden, and bubbly.
09 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the stuffed peppers to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps the filling set and makes for easier plating.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The ricotta and cream cheese combo makes the filling impossibly creamy without needing a heavy sauce.
- It looks like something from a restaurant menu but comes together with everyday ingredients you probably already have.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day, which means lunch is suddenly something to look forward to.
02 -
- Skip the blanching step and your peppers will curl and collapse in the oven, so always take those three minutes to par cook them.
- Overstuffing the peppers causes the filling to spill out and burn on the dish, so fill generously but stop when the filling is level with the top.
03 -
- Let the spinach mixture cool before adding it to the cheeses or the heat will make the ricotta runny and the filling will not hold together properly.
- A small dollop of marinara sauce spooned into the bottom of each pepper before stuffing adds a hidden layer of moisture and flavor that guests always notice but can never identify.