Name: Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers Skillet or Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Uncooked Brown Rice ((you can use white)); 3 Sweet Bell Peppers ((red, yellow, green, or orange)); 1 pound Ground Chicken ((I used 99% lean)); 2 teaspoons Olive Oil ((divided)); 1 teaspoon Onion Powder; 2 teaspoons garlic Powder; 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano; 1.5 tablespoons Chili Powder; 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin; 2 teaspoons Salt; 28 ounces Diced Tomatoes; 4 ounces Green Chilies ((1 can)); 5 Corn tortillas, size 6”; 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese; 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese; 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

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Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers Skillet or Pot cooks easily on the stove with ground chicken, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and more! Perfect for a weeknight family dinner!

Bowl of Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken with a dollop of sour cream and a tortilla chip dipped in. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Their eyes, intensely focused on me, conveyed urgency and despair. Words that shot through their lips were sharp. The air was thick with tension. Was this an angry mob? No, this was my family…looking for dinner. Again. Is this a familiar scene?? Yes, well then, you are probably a Mom. So, here is a make-ahead, one pot or one pan dinner to turn this nightly nightmare into a beautiful dream. This is my Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers Skillet with Ground Chicken!

This recipe takes a stuffed pepper and deconstructs it is so it’s super easy to make, turning it into a stuffed pepper skillet! Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cilantro, cheese, and corn tortillas. Finally, nutty and hearty brown rice is mixed and cooked in with all of this goodness to created one delicious dinner. It’s smokey, savory, hearty, and utterly delicious!

This unstuffed pepper skillet is a great recipe to add to your Taco Tuesday meal planning calendar!

Want more tips for making busy family dinners easier? Click here for my Free Printable 5 Simple Steps to Easy Family Dinners!

Pot of Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken and cheese sprinkled on top op. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Bell Peppers have lots of Vitamin C!

Bell peppers come in a variety of colors and add so much color and flavor to recipes! But, aside from looking pretty and tasting good, they also have some wonderful health benefits! Ever since receiving my Certification in Nutrition and Healthy Living, I am looking for the added health benefits in foods.

They are low in calories and exceptionally rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Bell peppers are rich in Vitamin C and are a great source for vitamins B6, K1, A, and E. In fact, bell peppers have more vitamin C than oranges! One medium-sized red bell pepper provides 169% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin C. They also have minerals, such as potassium and folate.

So eat bell peppers for a snack or add them to scrambled eggs, mix into salads, or try them in these recipes:

Fork with bite above a bowl of Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken with a dollop of sour cream. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

Uncooked Brown Rice – I used brown rice for the added nutty flavor. You can use white rice, quinoa, or other grain that you love. You can also use instant rice in this recipe!
Sweet Bell Peppers – I used red and green, but any bell peppers are great (red, yellow, green, or orange). Poblano peppers are good too. You can also use jalapeno for some heat.
Ground Chicken – Stuffed peppers are usually made with ground beef. I used 99% lean ground chicken, but you can use lean ground beef. Whether Turkey chicken beef pork – all ground meats will work in this recipe!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You can substitute with any neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or even coconut oil.
Seasonings: You can use a taco seasoning blend, but I made my own with: Onion Powder, garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, and Salt
Canned Diced Tomatoes – I like the chunks of tomato that you get with diced. However, you can substitute in pureed, crushed, diced, or whole tomatoes that you crush with your hands. Tomato sauce will work too. You can also add a tablespoon of tomato paste for more deep flavor.
Green chilis – I used the 4oz can of green chilis found in my regular grocery store. You can substitute in hatch green chilis. You can also leave these out if you don’t have them.
Soft Corn tortillas – The corn tortillas are for mixing into the rest of the ingredients to help thicken it up and add a corn flavor in the background. You can use yellow or soft corn tortillas. If you only have tortilla chips, then you can add those too, but make sure they have time to soften and melt into the dish.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese – I like to shred my own cheese to avoid fillers and stabilizers. But of course, you can buy pre-shredded cheese to save time. Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, or any other melting shredded cheese will work!
Fresh Cilantro – You can substitute with fresh parsley.

Simple Equipment for Unstuffed Peppers

Nothing special for this one! Just a medium pot with lid for the rice and a large skillet or wide-bottom pot, such as a dutch oven, for the Unstuffed Peppers. My prized possession dutch oven was perfect for this! Or any good quality enameled cast iron 5-6 quart dutch oven with lid is great.

Prep-Ahead Steps for Unstuffed Peppers Skillet or Pot

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)

Clean the bell peppers and discard the seeds and membranes. Rough chop into ½ to 1 inch chunks. Chop the cilantro.

Chopped green and red bell peppers and cilantro on a cutting board for Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

The corn tortillas act as a thickener as well as bring a familiar corn flavor to this dish! Cut them into 1 inch long, ¼ inch thick strips. Measure out all of the seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and salt).

Hand holding tortillas cut into strips for Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Cook Your Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers Skillet

For the rice, I used a medium-grain brown rice because it adds more flavor than white rice. However, you can of course use any rice that you prefer. You can cook it ahead and store the rice in the fridge. Just warm it up before adding it to the pot in the step below.

Everything else cooks in one large skillet or pot. I start with the peppers in the pot or skillet over medium heat and then remove them while cooking the chicken so that they don’t get too mushy. Cook the peppers only for 3-4 minutes, just until they start to glisten. Transfer the peppers to a plate.

Chopped green and red bell peppers cooking in pot for Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

To the same pot/pan on high heat, add the ground chicken and seasoning blend. Mix to combine, then let sit! Let it brown on one side for 3-4 minutes. Then stir again and let cook through for another 4-5 minutes, until there is no longer any pink – stirring after a few minutes to ensure even cooking.

Seasoned ground chicken cooking in pot for Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Once the chicken is cooked, mix in the peppers you set aside, the canned diced tomatoes, green chilies, and tortilla strips. Turn the heat to Medium and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, mix in the rice and cook for a final 5 minutes covered.

Mixing cooked rice into pot with ground chicken cooking, peppers, and tomatoes for Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Turn off the heat and mix in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (the remaining will go on top) and chopped cilantro (leave a small amount for garnish).

Adding shredded cheese to pot of cooked Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Chicken. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, cheese, rice and corn tortillas.

Serve a heaping bowlful with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese and cilantro.

ENJOY! 😍 Carrie

Unstuffed Peppers Skillet or Pot FAQs

Can I freeze this Unstuffed Pepper recipe?

Yes, this Unstuffed Peppers recipe will freeze quite well. Cool the cooked recipes in the fridge first, then freeze in a freezer-safe container. It will keep for 4-6 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating. You can also reheat it from frozen state in the oven 350 F degrees for 60 minutes or until the center is hot.

Can I use fresh onion and garlic in this skillet recipe?

Of course fresh is always a preference, however, that will add prep time for dicing and mincing. If you have the time, great! When you get to the cooking steps, you will add these in half way through the chicken cooking. So you start searing and browning the chicken, then stir and add the onions and garlic, finish cooking the chicken, and then continue to follow the steps from there.

Can I use any other types of peppers?

Absolutely! Poblano or Cubanelle peppers would be fantastic peppers to include. These are less sweet than bell peppers, but do not carry much heat, so still a nice mild option. If you want to add heat, then jalapeno peppers would be a great addition. Of course, you can go with other peppers that carry even more heat, but then you are getting into “spicy” territory and I know my kids would run the other direction!

What can I do to fix my mixture if it’s too thick?

You can add a ¼ to ½ cup of chicken broth or beef broth to the mixture to thin it out a bit if needed.

Have you tried this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe below! I love to hear your feedback and your rating helps others to find this recipe. Thanks so much!