These Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers are my favorite workaround for turning creamy buffalo chicken dip into a totally acceptable weeknight dinner. This recipe starts with fresh diced chicken breast that I pan-sear, then fold into a buttery hot sauce mixture with cream cheese, cheddar, and a sprinkle of blue cheese for a classic buffalo flavor. The creamy, spicy filling gets piled into budget-friendly green bell pepper halves, baked until bubbly, and finished with green onions for a fresh bite. They’re ooey, gooey, salty, spicy, knock-your-socks-off delicious, and totally satisfying as a full meal!
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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers
Something you should know about me: I LOVE a good dip. I know it’s slightly frowned upon to make a dip your entire dinner, so I creatively came up with this buffalo chicken stuffed peppers recipe. Boom, problem solved. It takes everything I adore about buffalo chicken dip and makes it more ‘socially acceptable’ to eat as a full meal. I make everything from scratch in this recipe, starting with searing the chicken, so you don’t need to rely on leftovers or rotisserie chicken if you don’t already have it.
Once the chicken is seared, I turn it into a creamy buffalo filling with hot sauce, butter, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and plenty of cheddar. I follow our classic stuffed peppers recipe here and use halved bell peppers because it’s such a budget-friendly way to make whole peppers go further. Finish the peppers with blue cheese crumbles and fresh green onions, and if you’re a buffalo chicken fan like me, you won’t hesitate for a second to call this dinner.
Recipe Success Tips
- Stretch your peppers into multiple servings. I use 3 large green bell peppers and slice them in half lengthwise to make 6 servings, which keeps the cost down without making the portions feel skimpy. The halves also lay flat in the baking dish, which makes them SO much easier to fill!!
- Pat and drain the chicken. I pat the chicken dry before searing so it browns instead of steams, then drain it on paper towels after cooking to keep the filling from turning watery.
- Dice the chicken small and evenly. I keep the chicken pieces small, so they cook through quickly in the skillet. Even pieces also mix into the sauce better, so the filling tastes like creamy buffalo chicken all the way through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F before serving.
- Lower the heat before making the sauce. Medium-high heat is great for searing the chicken, but I turn it down to medium before adding the butter, hot sauce, and cream cheese so the sauce melts together smoothly.
- Add extra veggies if you want to bulk them up. Sauté mushrooms or onions after the chicken comes out of the skillet, or stir in peas or corn with the cooked chicken before stuffing the peppers.
Time-Saving Tip
Cooking the chicken yourself is usually the cheapest option, and that’s why I wrote the recipe this way. But listen, time is valuable too! If it’s one of those nights, grab a rotisserie chicken and keep moving. Cold rotisserie chickens are often cheaper than hot ones, so check that section first if your store has both.
This recipe uses 1½ lbs. of raw chicken breast, which equals about 3 cups of cooked diced or shredded chicken. Just skip the searing step, stir the cooked chicken into the buffalo sauce until it’s warmed through, then stuff the peppers and bake as written.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Cost $11.45 recipe / $1.91 serving
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray ($0.01)
- 1½ lb. chicken breasts (small dice, (2 breasts, 680g) $4.00*)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.08)
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.04)
- 3 large green bell peppers (cut lengthwise & seeds removed, $2.46**)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.11)
- ½ cup hot sauce (4oz., $1.29***)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- ½ tsp onion powder ($0.02)
- 4 oz. cream cheese (cubed, $0.91)
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese (grated & divided, (150g) $1.18****)
- ¼ cup blue cheese (45g, $1.20*****)
- 2 green onions (sliced, $0.12)
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×10-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Dice the chicken into small pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken evenly with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cubed chicken in an even layer. Sear in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on paper towels to drain. Set aside.
- Turn the heat to medium and add the butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and the diced chicken back into the pan. Fold until it melts and combine for about 1 minute. Then turn off the heat.
- Place the bell peppers in the casserole dish, cut side up. Fill each pepper with the buffalo chicken filling.
- Bake the peppers, uncovered, in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, then evenly top with the remaining cheddar cheese and blue cheese.
- Place them back in the oven and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Top with green onions, then enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!how to make Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×10-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Prep the chicken: Start by dicing 1½ lbs. chicken breasts into small, even pieces. Try to keep the pieces a similar size so they cook at the same rate.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season evenly with ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Patting the chicken dry helps it get a nice sear in the skillet.
Brown the chicken: Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the diced chicken in an even layer. Sear in batches if needed so the chicken browns evenly. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and set aside.
Make the buffalo sauce: Turn the heat down to medium. Add 1 Tbsp butter, ½ cup hot sauce, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and 4 oz. cubed cream cheese to the skillet. Stir constantly until the butter and cream cheese melt into a smooth, creamy buffalo sauce, about 2 minutes.
Finish the filling: Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and the cooked chicken back to the skillet. Fold everything together until the cheese is melted and the chicken is coated in the creamy buffalo sauce, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
Stuff the peppers: Place 3 large green bell peppers (cut in half lengthwise with the seeds removed), cut-side up in the prepared casserole dish. Nestle them close together so they stay steady while baking. Divide the buffalo chicken filling evenly between the 6 pepper halves, gently mounding the filling as needed.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake the buffalo chicken stuffed peppers uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and the peppers are beginning to soften but still hold their shape.
Add more cheese: Remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle the peppers evenly with the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles.
Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are tender.
Finish: Now top your peppers with 2 sliced green onions, then serve. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Each serving is one pepper half, so I like to add a simple side to round these buffalo chicken stuffed peppers out for dinner. Rice is my favorite budget-friendly pick because it stretches the meal and catches any extra creamy buffalo filling that sneaks out of the peppers. For something heartier, roasted potatoes, potato wedges, or sweet potato fries all give you a cozy plate without much extra work. For something fresh, go with a salad that can stand up to the spicy, cheesy filling. My easy green bean salad adds crunch and a bright, tangy bite. I also love our strawberry spinach salad here as it brings a natural sweetness that plays so well with buffalo sauce. A few celery and carrot sticks also keep things cool and crunchy!
Prep Them Ahead!
You can prep these buffalo chicken stuffed peppers ahead of time! I like to make the buffalo chicken filling first, let it cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also slice and clean the bell peppers ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
For the best texture, I’ll assemble the peppers right before baking. If you want to fully assemble them ahead, let the filling cool, then stuff the peppers, and cover the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as they’re going into the oven cold.
Storage & Reheating
Store any cooled leftover peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat the buffalo chicken stuffed peppers in the microwave until warmed through, or place them in a 350°F oven until hot.
Freezing
You can freeze these buffalo peppers, but they’ll soften more after thawing and reheating. Freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Try These Stuffed Pepper Recipes Next:
- These Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers are hearty, cheesy, and packed to the brim with filling.
- I’d tuck Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers into my meal plan for an easy make-ahead dinner!
- This Stuffed Pepper Skillet gives you tender peppers, savory sausage, and cheesy rice all in one pan.
- I’ll serve these classic Stuffed Bell Peppers when I want something comforting that already has the meat, vegetables, and rice in one dish!
