Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love the versatility of Bell Peppers. They can be eaten raw by themselves, or in a hearty salad. They can also be an addition to your favorite pasta or stir-fry . These peppers taste great is so many different regional cuisine dishes, from Italian to Mexican. Bell peppers are rich in many vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C and various carotenoids. For this reason, eating them may have several health benefits, such as improved eye health, and reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

I often stuff red or green bell peppers with beef, chicken and sometimes even a simple Spanish rice. For this recipe I wanted to experiment with a hearty filling that could be prepared in a skillet and added to the hollowed out pepper. This is an easy and healthy meal and everything is ready in under an hour. There are many variations of this filling, feel free to incorporate your favorite grain, or even omit the meat for a vegetarian option. To serve these peppers, I opted for no toppings, but I suggest sour cream, guacamole or cilantro.

Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 large bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce can) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups enchilada sauce (red or green)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 x 13 pans with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan.
3. Add in chicken and sauté until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and shred once cooled.
4. To the same pan add the remaining tablespoon of oil along with the onions and garlic, and Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
5. Stir in the cooked rice, corn, black beans, enchilada sauce, and cumin. Add the shredded chicken.
6. Slice off tops of peppers, remove seeds and discard.
7. Arrange peppers on the prepared baking pans. Stuff about ½ cup of the chicken and rice mixture into each pepper.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, then carefully add shredded cheese. Continue to bake until the peppers are tender.
9. Top with favorite garnish.