Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast And Peppers (Printer-Friendly)
Tender baked chicken with colorful peppers and melted cheese, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 red bell peppers, cored and sliced into strips
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips
04 - 1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips
05 - 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Cheeses
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Seasonings and Oils
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, coating the bottom and sides evenly.
02 - Arrange the sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers along with the red onion in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, then sprinkle with half of the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss the vegetables gently to coat evenly.
03 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each breast with the remaining salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika, pressing the spices gently into the meat.
04 - Place the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the vegetable bed in the baking dish. Scatter the minced garlic evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
05 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through while the vegetables steam beneath.
06 - Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly over each chicken breast. Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165°F internally and the cheese is melted and golden.
07 - Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve the chicken alongside the roasted peppers and onions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in a single dish, which means you get all the flavor and almost no cleanup.
- The peppers turn soft and sweet beneath the chicken, soaking up juices that make them taste like they were planned, not leftover.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick on one end, pound them slightly so they cook evenly and you avoid the dreaded dry edge.
- Removing the foil too early will dry out the vegetables before the chicken is done, so trust the covered cooking time fully.
03 -
- Shred your own mozzarella from a block instead of buying pre shredded, because the anti caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting as smoothly.
- Letting the baked dish rest those five minutes is not optional, it is the difference between juicy chicken and juice running all over your cutting board.