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These tasty Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers are always a hit—no matter the occasion! They’re packed with perfectly seasoned ground chicken, green chiles, and gooey melted cheese. The ground chicken makes this a healthy appetizer, but you could easily swap in ground beef or ground sausage if you prefer.
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These yummy taco stuffed mini peppers were inspired by my Instant Pot Tacos With Ground Turkey, and whenever I put them out, I’m always left with an empty tray. People love them and can’t stop themselves from having multiple servings (which, as a hostess, always makes you feel good)! The roasted peppers are tender and fresh, and the ground chicken is incredibly flavorful. (Doubting ground chicken? Try my ground chicken meatballs!) Whether you’re hosting a casual happy hour, baby shower, or even Game Day, these mini peppers will satisfy your guests.
Looking for more tasty and easy appetizers? People go wild over this refreshing taco dip with cream cheese. Another popular option is Texas Caviar. And although these slow cooker chicken tacos could eat like a meal, they’re great for entertaining, too!
Why You’ll Love These
- They’re actually healthy!—As far as finger foods go, these are a smart choice. Ground chicken keeps things light and you’re getting your veggies. Yeah, there’s cheese, but not an exorbitant amount. They’re low-carb, and you can serve them with plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream!
- They’re easy—The ingredients are easy to find and the prep is a breeze. Stuffing a bunch of mini peppers can feel a bit tedious, but it’s worth it in the end.
- They’re super tasty—These little guys are basically miniature tacos in a roasted pepper shell!
Ingredients for Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Salsa—A jarred salsa is the best option for this recipe because it has a thicker consistency, which results in a nice and thick taco meat mixture. Using a fresh salsa or fresh tomatoes could yield a runny meat mix, which we don’t want.
- Taco seasoning—I always use my homemade taco seasoning recipe, but any store-bought version you like will work.
- Cheese—I like to use a shredded Mexican or taco blend, but cheddar or mozzarella work beautifully.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Ground meat—ground poultry is a leaner option, but if you prefer beef or sausage, you can definitely use them instead.
- Chiles—I like the flavor of canned green chiles; they’re mild and earthy. You could also chop up a spicy fresh japaleño or, if you like a lot of heat and a smoky essence, chiles in adobo.
- Hot sauce—Feel free to add a teaspoon or tablespoon of hot sauce to the meat mixture.
- Veggies—You can blend and extend your mixture by adding finely chopped mushrooms or black olives (not kalamata). Other veggies that could be thrown in are minced onion, ribboned baby spinach, and shredded zucchini or squash.
How to Make Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers
Step 1. Preheat the oven to Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook, mashing it with a spoon or spatula, until it’s about half cooked. Add the seasoning, salsa, and chiles.
Step 2. Stir everything until combined, letting the ground chicken continue to cook. Keep breaking it apart as it cooks until it’s crumbled.
Step 3. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, letting it melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the heat. If you’re adding chopped black olives, you can stir them in now. Or you can do half with/half without, which is what I do.
Step 4. Slice the mini peppers in half, then gut them and clean them out.
Step 5. Pack the peppers with the meat mixture and place them on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish. When done, sprinkle each one using the rest of the cheese. Pop them in the oven to roast for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Step 6. Remove from the oven, let them cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro. You can serve them on their own or with salsa, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt!
Storage & Reheating
- These are actually great leftover! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, pop them in the microwave and reheat in 15 second increments until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a good idea when making large stuffed peppers, like these stuffed peppers with ground turkey. But since these peppers are small, they don’t need to be precooked.
Yes! They’ll give you the same sweet crisp flavor, but have a bit more of a delicate texture.
Soggy peppers are overcooked peppers. Since mini peppers are small, we skip pre-cooking them and only bake them for about 10 minutes or less. Stick with the recipe instructions and your peppers should turn out perfectly tender!
More Stuffed Pepper Recipes to Try…
If you try this taco stuffed mini pepper recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini peppers
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 7 oz can of diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1.5 cups grated cheese, preferably a taco or Mexican blend
- 1 cup roughly chopped black olives (optional)
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish
- 1 TBSP olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook, mashing it with a spoon or spatula, until it’s about half cooked. Add the seasoning, salsa, and chiles.
- Stir everything until combined, letting the ground chicken continue to cook. Keep breaking it apart as it cooks until it’s crumbled.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, letting it melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the heat. If you’re adding chopped black olives, you can stir them in now. Or you can do half with/half without, which is what I do.
- Slice the mini peppers in half, then gut them and clean them out.
- Pack the peppers with the meat mixture and place them on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish. When done, sprinkle each one using the rest of the cheese. (I like to place a few slices of black olives on top of the cheese when I'm using them.)
- Pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven, let them cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro. You can serve them on their own or with salsa, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt!
Notes
These are actually great leftover! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them in the microwave and reheat in 15 second increments until warmed through.
