These air fryer stuffed bell peppers with chicken are ready in under 25 minutes and make a great dinner for two. The filling is savory, the peppers get tender in the air fryer, and the melted cheese on top ties it all together.
About Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers have been around for a long time. In most traditional recipes, you cook the filling on the stove, stuff the peppers, and then bake everything in the oven for close to an hour.
It is a good dish, but it takes a while.
This version is much faster. The raw chicken filling goes straight into the pepper halves, and the air fryer takes care of the rest. No pre-cooking the filling, no long oven time. The chicken cooks inside the pepper while the pepper softens around it.
A little soy sauce, garlic, tomatoes, and sour cream go into the filling to give it a rich, savory taste. Two kinds of cheese go on at the end and melt into a golden layer on top.
Using three different colored peppers is a small thing, but it makes the dish look nice on the plate.
Red peppers are the sweetest. Yellow and orange are close behind. Green peppers have a slightly firmer taste. Use whatever colors you like or whatever you have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast for a weeknight. Prep takes about 5 minutes and the air fryer does the rest. Dinner is on the table in under 25 minutes.
- No pre-cooking the filling. The raw chicken goes straight in. One less step, fewer dishes.
- Two cheeses on top. Mozzarella melts smooth. Parmesan adds a little salt and depth. Together they make a great topping.
- Good for two. Makes 6 pepper halves, just right for a small meal with no big batch leftovers.
- Easy to change up. Swap the protein, change the cheese, add a pinch of spice. The base recipe is flexible.
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless chicken – Cut it into small, even pieces so it cooks through in 15 minutes. Chicken thighs work here too and stay a little more moist than breast meat.
- Bell peppers – Use three different colors if you can. Pick peppers that are roughly the same size so they all cook in the same amount of time.
- Mozzarella – Grate it fresh from the block. Pre-shredded bags have a coating on them that stops the cheese from melting as well.
- Parmesan – Adds a salty, nutty taste to both the filling and the top. Use freshly grated for the best result.
- Sour cream – Keeps the filling moist and adds a slight tang. Do not skip it. It makes a real difference in the texture of the cooked chicken.
- Soy sauce – Just one teaspoon. It adds a savory depth without making the filling taste like Asian food. You can swap it for Worcestershire sauce.
- Cilantro – Adds a fresh note to the filling. If you do not like cilantro, use flat-leaf parsley instead.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is best here. Two cloves is enough to flavor the whole batch.
How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chicken
1. Add 1 cup (about 150g) of diced boneless chicken to a bowl. Add 1 medium chopped onion, 2 medium chopped tomatoes, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and half of the Parmesan cheese (about 2.5 tablespoons / 15g). Mix well so the chicken is fully coated in the filling.
2. Wash 3 bell peppers and cut each one in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and white membrane from inside each half.
3. Spoon the chicken filling into each pepper half. Press it in lightly so it sits level and does not spill over the sides.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (360°F) for 2 minutes. Place the stuffed pepper halves in the basket in a single layer. Do not stack them.
5. Air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 15 minutes. When the time is up, check that the chicken is fully cooked through with no pink remaining. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should read 74°C (165°F).
6. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and all of the mozzarella (1/3 cup / 35g) evenly over the top of each stuffed pepper.
7. Return the peppers to the air fryer and cook at 180°C (360°F) for 2 more minutes, until the cheese melts and turns lightly golden on top.
8. Carefully take the peppers out and serve hot.
Expert Tips
- Cut the chicken into small, even pieces. Big chunks will not cook through in 15 minutes. Aim for pieces about 1/2 inch (1 cm) or smaller.
- Press the filling in gently when you stuff the peppers. If the filling is loose or piled too high, it can shift around in the air fryer.
- Do not crowd the basket. Place the pepper halves in a single layer with a little space between them. If they are too close, they will steam and the peppers will not soften as well.
- The sour cream in the filling helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks. Do not leave it out, especially if you are using chicken breast.
Serving
Serve these straight from the air fryer while they are hot. They go well on their own as a light dinner, or alongside a simple green salad or some plain rice. A small spoonful of extra sour cream on the side is a nice touch.
A little chopped cilantro or parsley sprinkled on top right before serving adds a fresh look.
Storage and Reheating
Let the stuffed peppers cool fully before storing. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, place them back in the air fryer at 160°C (325°F) for 4 to 5 minutes until hot all the way through.
You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, though the pepper will be a little softer after.
More Recipes
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Chips
- High Protein Chickpea and Peanut Salad
- BBQ Mashed Eggplant With Tomato & Garlic
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Ground chicken works well here. It mixes easily with the other ingredients and cooks at the same temperature and time.
No. The chicken pieces are small enough to cook fully in 15 minutes at 180°C (360°F). Just make sure the pieces are cut small and even.
You can mix the filling and prep the peppers a few hours early and keep them in the fridge. Air fry them right before you eat so the cheese melts fresh.
Trim a thin slice off the rounded bottom of each pepper half so it sits level. This helps the filling stay in place during cooking.
Air Fryer Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup 150g boneless chicken, cut into small pieces
- 3 medium bell peppers (different colors, halved and seeds removed)
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
- ⅓ cup 30g Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- ⅓ cup 35g mozzarella cheese, grated
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken, onion, tomatoes, garlic, black pepper, salt, soy sauce, sour cream, cilantro, and half the Parmesan. Mix well.
- Wash the bell peppers and cut each in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and white membrane.
- Fill each pepper half with the chicken mixture. Press lightly so the filling sits level.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (360°F) for 2 minutes.
- Place stuffed pepper halves in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 15 minutes.
- Check that the chicken is fully cooked through with no pink remaining. Internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F).
- Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and all of the mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Return to the air fryer at 180°C (360°F) for 2 more minutes until cheese melts and turns lightly golden.
- Remove carefully and serve hot.
Notes
- Cut chicken into small, even pieces (about 1/2 inch / 1 cm) so it cooks through fully.
- Do not stack the peppers. Cook in a single layer for even heat.
- Best served fresh. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 160°C (325°F) for 4 to 5 minutes.
Nutrition
