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These jambalaya-stuffed peppers take the bold, smoky flavors of the Louisiana classic and transform it an easy weeknight dinner. Instead of simmering everything in a pot on the stove, it's all tucked into sweet bell peppers and baked until tender, just like Ree’s classic stuffed peppers. A savory mix of chicken thighs, andouille sausage, vegetables, and seasoned rice creates plenty of depth, while melty pepper jack cheese adds just the right amount of heat and richness. Serve them with a simple green salad or a crisp broccoli slaw for a satisfying, flavorful meal.
Make this for a Mardi Gras party, and keep the celebration going with these New Orleans-inspired dishes.
Do you need to boil the bell peppers before stuffing them with jambalaya?
Some recipes call for boiling or roasting peppers ahead of time, but that extra step isn’t necessary here. Covering the dish with foil and adding a small amount of water to the bottom creates gentle steam. As the stuffed peppers bake, they soften gradually in the oven. The result is peppers that are tender but still sturdy enough to hold the filling.
Do you have to cook the rice before adding it to the stuffed peppers?
Yes, the rice should be cooked before it’s added to the filling. The peppers don’t bake long enough and there isn’t enough liquid in the dish to cook raw rice all the way through. Cooked rice also keeps the filling tender and evenly textured. If you're short on time, frozen or shelf-stable cooked rice works well here, too, and is a great shortcut. Just be sure to fully warm it in the filling mixture on the stove before stuffing the peppers.
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers
- 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 oz. andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Step 2Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the tops. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membranes from the peppers and set the peppers in a large baking dish.
- Step 3In a medium bowl, season the chicken with 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning and toss to coat.
- Step 4In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the sausage to the drippings in the pot and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the celery, jalapeño, onion, and chopped pepper tops and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and remaining 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Step 5Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, rice, sausage, and chicken to the pot. Stir until well combined. Fold in 1 cup of the pepper jack and 2 of the green onions.
- Step 6Fill the peppers with the rice mixture (about 1 cup each). Sprinkle the tops with the remaining ½ cup pepper jack. Pour about ¼ cup water into the bottom of the baking dish and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Step 7Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes more. Sprinkle with the remaining green onion before serving.
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