If you love the idea of a Halloween-themed dinner like I do, look no further than these adorable jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. It’s become our family tradition to have this for dinner before trick-or-treating, and I typically make them ahead of time so the rush to get on costumes and out the door isn’t even crazier! While you could fill your jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers with any filling your family likes best, this nontraditional take below is super kid-friendly!
Ingredients
4 orange bell peppers
2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup shredded Colby jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 spaghetti sauce
Optional: 1/2 cup of salsa or salsa verde instead of spaghetti sauce, any other chopped veggies your family enjoys
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8 square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (use a bigger dish if your peppers are really large!)
Slice the top of each pepper and remove ribbing and seeds.
Cut a jack-o-lantern face into the front of each pepper. I use only triangle eyes, noses, and a minimal jack-o-lantern mouth to save time.
Combine chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and spaghetti sauce in a bowl.
Fill each pepper with the chicken and cheese mixture
Cover the peppers with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until peppers are tender and the inside filling is hot
To serve, I like to slice the peppers in half vertically, giving the kids the “face” side of the jack-o-lantern and giving the plain side to the adults.
To make ahead, prep and fill your peppers and then leave them covered in the fridge uncooked. When you’re ready to cook, pop them in the oven and bake according to the directions.
