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Add spooky flair to your Halloween dinner with these adorable jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. Packed with creamy, cheesy buffalo chicken and rice, these festive peppers are carved like mini pumpkins and baked until warm and soft. They’re fun to make, full of flavor and perfect for a Halloween party or themed family meal. You can prep them ahead and pop them in the oven just before guests arrive, making this recipe a time-saver and crowd-pleaser all at once.
These jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers are filled with cheesy buffalo chicken and rice. They’re a fun Halloween dinner idea that’s easy to make and even easier to love.
If you like this fun recipe, you might also want to try panna cotta eyeballs, black crust spider pizza, apple cider mojitos or monster pretzel treats.
Why You’ll Love It
Kid-friendly and festive This fun twist on stuffed peppers is perfect for Halloween dinner.
Quick and easy Using pre-cooked chicken and microwave rice cuts down prep time.
Full of flavor Creamy cheese and tangy buffalo sauce make every bite bold and tasty.
Customizable Swap ingredients or spice levels to suit your preferences.
Great for parties These peppers make a spooky centerpiece and a hearty main dish.
Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Bell peppers: Orange peppers give that pumpkin look, but any color works.
Chicken breasts: Use cooked, shredded chicken for a protein-packed filling. If you’re cooking the chicken fresh, I recommend you season it first.
Cream cheese: Adds richness and helps hold the filling together.
Cheddar cheese: Sharp flavor that pairs perfectly with buffalo sauce.
Mozzarella cheese: Melty, mild cheese for a gooey texture.
Green onions: Add a mild bite and color contrast.
Buffalo sauce: Tangy, spicy kick that makes these irresistibly bold.
Rice: White rice adds bulk and soaks up the cheesy, saucy goodness.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Halloween Stuffed Peppers
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Soften the cream cheese: Microwave with buffalo sauce until softened.
Mix the filling: Add chicken, cheddar, mozzarella, green onions and rice. Stir well.
Carve the peppers: Slice tops off, scoop out insides and carve jack-o-lantern faces.
Stuff the peppers: Fill each one with the buffalo chicken mixture, packing tightly.
Bake: Place in a baking dish and bake until the peppers are soft and heated through.
Substitutions and Variations
Use rotisserie chicken: Save time by shredding a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Go gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free, but double check all sauce labels.
Switch the sauce: Try BBQ or ranch instead of buffalo if you want a milder version.
Add veggies: Stir in chopped celery or carrots for extra crunch and flavor.
Use ground beef: Substitute ground beef for the chicken. Cook it first and drain off any excess grease.
Make them vegetarian: Use tofu or chickpeas in place of chicken.
Serving Suggestions
With Halloween snacks: I like to pair these with skull potatoes. You could also serve leftover candy brownies, Halloween bark, Halloween Rice Krispie treats and bat Oreos.
With drinks or shots: Sip a vampire kiss jello shots or a black magic cocktail.
How to Store Jack-O-Lantern Peppers
Store: Leftovers should be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator and eaten within 3 days.
Freeze: Although you could freeze these, they’d thaw out a bit mushy so it’s best not to freeze them.
Reheat: Warm them back up in the oven, air fryer or microwave.
Top Tips
Use firm peppers: Pick peppers that can stand upright on their own.
Don’t overstuff: Overfilling can cause the pepper to split or bake unevenly.
Microwave shortcut: Use microwave rice to save time on cooking.
Customize the heat: Add more or less buffalo sauce depending on your spice tolerance.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers FAQs
No, but it adds fun Halloween flair.
Yes, just make sure it’s not dried out.
Buffalo Chicken Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- Baking Dish 8-Inch Square or Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers, orange
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 4 Ounces cream cheese
- ½ Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ Cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ Cup green onions, chopped
- ½ Cup buffalo sauce
- 1 Cup white rice, cooked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a microwave safe bowl place the cream cheese and buffalo sauce and microwave until the cream cheese is soft enough to be mixed with the buffalo sauce. It is OK for there to be little chunks of cream cheese.
- Add in the shredded chicken, cheddar, mozzarella, green onions, and rice. Mix everything together well.
- Wash your orange bell peppers then using a small knife create triangle eyes and other facial features and cut off the tops just like you would a pumpkin for Halloween. Be sure to remove the seeds from the inside of the peppers.
- Fill the bell peppers with as much of the buffalo chicken mixture as possible, packing it in tightly.
- Place the bell peppers in a baking dish (or on a baking sheet) lined with parchment paper. If your bell peppers aren't flat enough on the bottom to stand on their own you can use balls of aluminum foil or stick toothpicks into the bottoms of the peppers to help them stand.
- Bake the peppers in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until the peppers are soft.
- Take out of the oven and serve with extra green onions and a drizzle of buffalo sauce or ranch for those who prefer something mild. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t overstuff: Overfilling can cause the pepper to split or bake unevenly.
Microwave shortcut: Use microwave rice to save time on cooking.
Customize the heat: Add more or less buffalo sauce depending on your spice tolerance.
Nutrition
Looking for special food to eat on Halloween? Make your dinner extra special with these jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. They’re easy to prep ahead, fun to decorate and absolutely packed with flavor. From the creamy buffalo chicken filling to the soft roasted peppers, every bite delivers comfort and festive flair. Whether you’re planning a Halloween dinner party or just want something themed and hearty, these stuffed peppers are guaranteed to impress everyone around the table.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I didn’t believe a Halloween recipe could be creepy, cute, tasty, and healthy but you’ve cracked it! These were really simple to make and even the kids ate every single bit. I will pin this to my Pinterest so I can find it again. Really good though. Recommended
Saving these to make this year!