Tex Mex Unstuffed Peppers Skillet or Pot with Ground Chicken takes a stuffed pepper and deconstructs it is so it's super easy to make. Juicy Sweet Bell Peppers are chopped up and cooked with the Tex Mex style ground chicken, tomatoes, Mexican seasonings, 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!
Clean the bell peppers and discard the seeds and membranes. Rough chop into ½ to 1 inch chunks. Chop the cilantro.
Cut the tortillas into 1 inch long, ¼ inch thick strips. Measure out all of the seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and salt).
Cook the rice. Rinse the rice under water in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add to 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and bring up to a boil. Turn the water down to a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Once the rice is done, turn off the heat, but leave the pot covered and undisturbed until you are ready to use. (NOTE: you can also do this step ahead and store the rice in the fridge. Just warm it up before adding it to the pot in the step below).)
Preheat a large pot/pan on High heat. To the hot pan, add the olive oil and chopped peppers. Stir to coat in oil and then let cook for 3-4 minutes, just until they start to glisten. Transfer the peppers to a plate.
To the same pot/pan on high heat, add another teaspoon of olive oil, the ground chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and salt. 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.
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.
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).
Serve a heaping bowlful with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese and cilantro. Enjoy!
Can I Freeze this 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?
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.