Summer Chicken Bake (Printer-Friendly)
Tender baked chicken with summer vegetables, lemon herbs, and feta cheese for warm evening meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 yellow zucchini, sliced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
→ Marinade and Seasonings
07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
13 - 3.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with a small amount of olive oil.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Place the chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and brush generously with half of the marinade mixture.
04 - Scatter the sliced zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and halved cherry tomatoes around and over the chicken. Drizzle the remaining marinade evenly over the vegetables.
05 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the chicken begins to brown and the vegetables start to soften.
06 - Remove the dish from the oven and distribute the baby spinach leaves over the top. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese evenly across the entire dish. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and the vegetables are tender.
07 - Remove from the oven, garnish with freshly chopped basil, and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks on a single sheet pan or baking dish, which means cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
- The feta gets golden and slightly crispy on top while staying creamy underneath, and that contrast will ruin you for plain cheese forever.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally or pound them flat first because the vegetables will overcook before the center is safe to eat.
- Let the dish rest for five minutes out of the oven before serving so the juices redistribute instead of pooling on the plate.
03 -
- Make the marinade in the morning and let the chicken sit in it all day in the fridge for flavor that penetrates all the way through.
- Use the convection setting on your oven if you have one because the circulating air gives the vegetables those irresistible blistered edges.