Italian Stuffed Peppers

Family friends are just the best.  My sister and Kelly boast that they are friends 28 years in the making and 2nd generation best friends, which is a hard thing to come by!  I am a friend of 27 years and also a 2nd generation best friend... oh the life of a middle child.  Long story short, our daddio's became best friends in medical school, our moms have been partners in crime and lifelong friends upon meeting, and we have been growing up together ever since.  

Kelly and her wonderful husband had their first baby a month ago, and I was long overdue to meet precious baby Gloria!  I obviously could not show up without mass amounts of food for the new parents.  I wanted to bring something that would last well for a few days, but also freeze well so they had reserves for weeks to come.  It has been in the 90's here in D.C. recently, and the thought of forcing someone to eat lasagna in this type of heat felt criminal, yet another thing to consider was making something that is agreeable to most people - not too spicy, not too rich - something that anyone and everyone could appreciate.   A lot of different things to think about!  I kept coming back to stuffed peppers, but have only ever had the ground meat version, that you have to season A LOT to enjoy... and I have never really loved them, to be honest.  So, as I have been really into shredded chicken this summer, and I couldn't help but think this was the perfect meal to bring them, I decided to combine the two, and hope for the best!  

I loved knowing that they could enjoy them for dinner, and that Kelly could also pop one in the oven for a nice, homemade lunch without any effort.  The ease of this meal can apply to anyone's busy work week, need for a freezer meal, or big dinner party!

Makes: 12 Stuffed Peppers - Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 bell peppers, assorted red, yellow, and orange
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning (I exclusively use Penzey's spices)
10 oz. baby spinach
1 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
4 garlic cloves
6 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saute or le creuset pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.  Add the chicken, chicken stock, and lemon pepper seasoning, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.  Only remove the lid once half way through to flip the chicken breasts. Remove from the pan and place on a plate to cool, but reserve the left over liquid.

Chop the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes.  In a separate pan over medium low heat, add two tablespoons olive oil,  garlic, and sun dried tomatoes.  Let simmer for one minute, and add the spinach, with one cup of the leftover chicken stock.  Mix together until the spinach is completely wilted.

Shred the chicken with two forks, and stir into the spinach, sun dried tomato, and garlic mixture.  Season with the salt and pepper.

Slice in half and remove the seeds from the bell peppers.  Evenly divide the filling mixture into the 12 pepper halves.  

If not frozen, place in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  If frozen, place in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  

Enjoy!