Chicken,  Food,  Healthy,  Spicy,  Vegetables

Stuffed Banana Peppers

The garden is just bursting with vegetables right now and I am loving every single second. I have become SUCH a vegetable eater as I have gotten older. I just don’t have the desire anymore to have a big juicy steak. The last time I actually went for meat was when I was in Kansas City and I was going to Gates BBQ, where I stuffed my face like a fat kid with some pulled pork and baked beans…mmmm, nomnoms. Other than that… ::shrugs:: I think I could really live without it.

I think it has something to do with the fact that the beef just doesn’t taste the same to me out here on the Eastcoast. It isn’t as tender and flavorful and the texture is no where near as good as out West. These days, I tend to stick with chicken, turkey, and fish if I go with meat and even then that is a rare occasion!

This recipe is using all fresh vegetables from the garden at my house. The banana peppers had some kick though! I think some of the peppers in the garden kind of mingled together and made banana peppers spicy. I betcha those bees this spring were doing some cross contamination of the spiciness of the plants hehe ๐Ÿ˜‰

Anyways, this recipe takes a little more time than what you normally see from me, but it will provide you with some extra meals for the week. This meal is going to last me AT LEAST 3 days ๐Ÿ™‚

Ingredients for Peppers:

  • 7-8 banana peppers, seeded and de-veined
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 cup cooked Quinoa
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 small tomatoes
  • 2 carrot sticks
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 3-4 small broccoli florets, chopped roughly
  • 5-6 button mushrooms
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 350ยบ.

Take your banana peppers and slice them length-ways and then across the top where the stem is to create a “T”. Take the seeds and veins out of the pepper. Line a glass baking pan with foil and place the banana peppers onto the foil. Drizzle about 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil on the peppers and rub on the outside and inside of skins. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 20 minutes and then take out of oven and let cool while you are making the filling.

In a skillet place 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic. Brown the garlic and then add in shallot. Chop all your vegetables and add into skillet for about 8 minutes. Do not cook all the way through because you will be cooking them again the oven.

Add Quinoa in with vegetables. (I had some Quinoa that was already cooked so I didn’t have to make it this time. However, if you are making it just follow the directions on the label. I prefer to cook my Quinoa with low sodium, free range, chicken broth. Gives it some extra added flavor)

Now you need to cook your chicken…I used just a dash of olive oil and pepper in it to cook it. Add your chicken into the vegetable mix and toss together. I used ground chicken because it was just easier that way. Feel free to use chicken breast and then chop it up.

Once the mixture has cooled off enough to handle, gently stuff the peppers with the mixture. Stuff as much as the mixture into the peppers as you can without breaking the skins. I had a little bit of the veggie mixture leftover, so I brought it into work for lunch hehe ๐Ÿ˜‰

Lightly sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of the peppers and then place back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes. They are done with you can insert a knife into the side without it sticking or the skins start to lightly brown on top.


How gorgeous is that? These peppers were really good. The textures went really well together. The slight crunch of the pepper was still there and then the combination of chicken, veggies, and Quinoa on the inside made for a pretty delicious meal.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I know I will ๐Ÿ™‚

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