Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Golden baked chicken with colorful peppers and melted cheese

# What You 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 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasonings and Oils

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the 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 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle with half the kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss the vegetables gently until evenly coated.
03 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each breast with the remaining kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika, pressing the spices gently into the meat. Lay the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the vegetable bed in a single even layer.
04 - Scatter the minced garlic evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through gently in the steam.
05 - Remove the dish from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over each chicken breast. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165°F internally and the cheese is fully melted with golden-brown spots.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve each breast over a portion of the roasted peppers and onions, spooning any pan juices over the top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vegetables and chicken cook together in one dish, which means almost zero cleanup on a busy weeknight.
  • That golden cheese pull when you serve it will have everyone at the table reaching for seconds before you even sit down.
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to an even half inch thickness before seasoning or the edges will dry out before the center cooks through.
  • Resist the urge to skip the foil cover during the first bake because trapping that steam is what keeps the chicken tender and juicy underneath all that cheese.
03 -
  • Let the dish rest the full five minutes because slicing into it too early sends all those flavorful juices running onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat where they belong.
  • Shred your own mozzarella from a block rather than using pre shredded bags because the anti caking additives in bagged cheese prevent it from melting into that perfect, silky layer.

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