These Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers are the kind of weeknight dinner I turn to when I want big flavor without a lot of fuss. You get smoky roasted pepper, spicy buffalo chicken, melty cheese and the cool tang of ranch all in one tidy package. They travel well from oven to plate and are easy to scale up for a crowd.
I like this recipe because it’s straightforward and forgiving: roast the peppers until just tender, mix the filling, fill, bake briefly, then broil for that golden, bubbly finish. There’s room to tweak the heat level and the garnish, but the basic formula makes a complete, satisfying meal.
Below you’ll find a clear shopping list, the exact ingredients and step-by-step directions, plus sanity-saving tips for make-ahead, storage, and helpful swaps if you need dairy-free, low-carb, or milder versions. Read through once, then follow the short list of steps when you’re ready to cook.
Shopping List
- Bell peppers (3) — grab firm, colorful peppers for presentation and balance of sweetness.
- Cooked shredded chicken (4 cups) — rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavor.
- Buffalo sauce (½ cup) — your favorite brand or homemade if you prefer.
- Ranch dressing (½ cup) — regular or buttermilk-style for tang.
- Shredded mozzarella (½ cup) — melts nicely without overpowering the buffalo flavor.
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons) — for brushing the peppers before roasting.
- Salt (½ teaspoon) and ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon) — simple seasoning.
- Garlic powder (1 teaspoon) and onion powder (1 teaspoon) — pantry staples to boost savory notes.
- Green onions — for a fresh garnish.
- Crumbled blue cheese (optional) — for a classic Buffalo finish if you like bold flavor.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers — Do This Next
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers — choose firm peppers; color is up to you (red, orange, yellow, or green).
- 2 tablespoons olive oil — used to coat peppers so they roast and develop a touch of char.
- ½ teaspoon salt — seasons the peppers so they’re not bland after roasting.
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper — light pepper seasoning for balance.
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken — I used a whole rotisserie chicken; leftovers work great.
- ½ cup buffalo sauce — provides heat and signature buffalo flavor.
- ½ cup ranch dressing — cools and binds the filling; swap blue cheese dressing if you prefer.
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese — gives melt and a milder cheese note.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder — for savory depth in the filling.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder — rounds out the seasoning.
- Green onions — thinly sliced, for garnish and a fresh bite.
- Crumbled blue cheese — optional, for garnish if you want that classic Buffalo pairing.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Slice each bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove the membranes and seeds.
- Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up on a baking tray or in a casserole dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and brush the oil over both the inside and outside of each pepper. Sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Roast the peppers in the preheated oven until just tender but not fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
- While the peppers roast, make the filling: in a large bowl combine 4 cups cooked shredded chicken, ½ cup buffalo sauce, ½ cup ranch dressing, ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and evenly divide the chicken mixture among the pepper halves, filling each one.
- Return the filled peppers to the oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes to heat through and begin melting the cheese.
- Switch the oven to broil. Move the rack so the peppers are under the broiler (about 4–6 inches from the heat) and broil the peppers 1–2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve hot.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
It’s fast: with a rotisserie chicken you can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes of active work. It’s flexible: adjust heat with more or less buffalo sauce, swap dressings, or change the cheese. It’s well-balanced: the roasted pepper adds a sweet, slightly smoky counterpoint to the spicy, tangy filling.
Portion-wise these are forgiving: one stuffed half makes a generous serving for a lighter meal or a great main with a simple salad. They also plate beautifully, which makes them perfect for casual dinner parties or a family meal where you want something that feels a little special without complicated technique.
Allergy-Friendly Substitutes
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free ranch and dairy-free shredded mozzarella or omit cheese. Nutritional yeast can add savory notes if you omit cheese entirely.
- Eggs/Nuts: This recipe doesn’t contain eggs or tree nuts by default. Check your buffalo sauce and ranch dressing labels if you have severe allergies.
- Gluten-free: The recipe is naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free buffalo sauce and ranch; many brands are GF but always check labeling.
Hardware & Gadgets
- Sharp knife and cutting board — for halving peppers and slicing green onions.
- Baking tray or casserole dish — to roast and bake the peppers.
- Pastry brush or spoon — to brush the olive oil on the peppers.
- Large mixing bowl — to combine the filling evenly.
- Oven with broil setting — needed for the final cheese browning step.
Avoid These Traps
Over-roasting the peppers. The recipe asks you to roast them until just tender — about 10 minutes — so they hold their shape when filled. If you roast them until fully soft you’ll end up with floppy peppers that can fall apart when moved.
Broiling without watching. The broiler works fast; leave the oven door slightly open if yours allows it and watch the peppers for those 1–2 minutes. Burned cheese happens in seconds.
Using cold filling. If your shredded chicken is straight from the fridge and cold, the bake time may need a minute or two longer. Bringing the filling to room temperature (or briefly microwaving) keeps overall bake times accurate and predictable.
Dietary Swaps & Alternatives
- Low-carb/Keto: This is already low-carb if you skip any bread sides; use full-fat ranch and a higher-fat shredded cheese for more satiety.
- Pescatarian: Replace chicken with shredded, cooked jackfruit or a firm fish is not a direct swap, but for texture use well-drained, seasoned jackfruit with buffalo sauce.
- Vegetarian: Use cooked shredded jackfruit or crumbled firm tofu tossed with buffalo sauce and ranch to mimic the texture and flavor profile.
Pro Tips & Notes
Shred chicken finely so the filling packs into the pepper halves evenly. If you have leftover chicken juices from shredding, drain them to avoid a watery filling.
If you like a creamier texture, stir in an extra tablespoon of ranch or a splash of mayonnaise. For more sharpness, replace half the mozzarella with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack before filling.
Level up presentation: slice peppers uniformly and arrange them tightly in the dish so they support each other while baking. Scatter green onions and crumbled blue cheese right before serving to keep the fresh notes bright.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make-ahead options
- Prepare the filling up to 24 hours ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Stuff peppers just before baking to maintain pepper texture.
- You can roast peppers in advance and refrigerate them in a single layer for up to 2 days; reheat briefly before stuffing and finishing in the oven.
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven covered for 8–12 minutes or until warmed through; finish under the broiler 1 minute to refresh the top if desired.
- Freeze assembled but unbaked peppers in a single layer on a sheet tray; once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking, then follow steps 7–9 to heat and brown.
Popular Questions
Can I use ground chicken instead of shredded? Yes. Cook and season ground chicken, cool slightly, then toss with buffalo sauce, ranch, and cheese. Texture will be different but still tasty.
How spicy will this be? Heat comes from the buffalo sauce. Use a milder buffalo sauce or reduce the amount slightly if you prefer mild. Adding more ranch dressing will also tone down the heat.
Can these be made vegan? With a few swaps — vegan ranch, dairy-free cheese, and a plant-based shredded chicken substitute like jackfruit or soy-based shreds — you can make a vegan version. Taste and texture will differ from the original.
Time to Try It
These Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers are reliable, quick, and crowd-pleasing. Follow the steps above exactly the first time so you get the timing right, then adjust heat, cheese, and garnish to suit your family. When you need bold flavor without complicated prep, this recipe is a real winner.
If you make them, leave a note about what buffalo sauce and garnishes you used — I love hearing which tweaks make the recipe yours.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?3 bell peppers
- ?2 tablespoonsolive oil
- ?1/2 teaspoonsalt
- ?1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
- ?4 cupscooked shredded chickenI used a whole rotisserie chicken
- ?1/2 cupbuffalo sauce
- ?1/2 cupranch dressing
- ?1/2 cupshredded mozzarella cheese
- ?1 teaspoongarlic powder
- ?1 teaspoononion powder
- ?green onionsthinly sliced for garnish
- ?crumbled blue cheeseoptional for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Slice each bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove the membranes and seeds.
- Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up on a baking tray or in a casserole dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and brush the oil over both the inside and outside of each pepper. Sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Roast the peppers in the preheated oven until just tender but not fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
- While the peppers roast, make the filling: in a large bowl combine 4 cups cooked shredded chicken, ½ cup buffalo sauce, ½ cup ranch dressing, ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and evenly divide the chicken mixture among the pepper halves, filling each one.
- Return the filled peppers to the oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes to heat through and begin melting the cheese.
- Switch the oven to broil. Move the rack so the peppers are under the broiler (about 4–6 inches from the heat) and broil the peppers 1–2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve hot.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Mixing Bowl
Notes
Instead of ranch dressing, try this recipe withblue cheese dressinginstead!
Any kind of cooked chicken can be used in this recipe. It’s perfect for leftovers!
To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
