Crockpot Apple Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Peppers for Easy Dinners

These slow cooker apple chipotle chicken stuffed peppers are the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you want a warm, satisfying dinner ready with minimal fuss. Juicy chicken thighs cook down directly inside sweet bell peppers with a hint of chipotle heat, crisp diced apples, and sharp white cheddar. It is an easy hands-off meal that brings big flavor to the holiday week routine.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, finely chopped
• 6 large sweet bell peppers (red or orange), tops sliced off and seeded
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1/2 cup finely diced Honeycrisp apple
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped chicken thighs, cooked rice, diced apple, black beans, chipotle pepper, apple cider, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and 1 cup of the white cheddar cheese.
2. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker insert to keep the peppers moist while cooking.
3. Spoon the chicken and rice mixture evenly into each hollowed bell pepper, pressing down gently to pack them full.
4. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright in the slow cooker insert so they stand tightly together.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours) until the pepper walls are tender and the chicken filling reaches an internal temperature of 165 F on a meat thermometer.
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of white cheddar cheese over the tops of the hot stuffed peppers.
7. Cover for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve warm directly from the slow cooker.

Tips

• Choose flat-bottomed bell peppers so they stand upright in your slow cooker without tipping.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat individual peppers in the microwave or oven.
• Adjust the chipotle in adobo to taste: use 1 tablespoon for mild warmth or up to 3 tablespoons for extra heat.