Cheesy Baked Chicken And Peppers (Printable)
Tender chicken breasts baked with colorful peppers and golden melted cheese for a wholesome, family-friendly dinner.
# 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, thinly sliced into half-moons
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
→ Cheeses
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Seasonings & 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, spreading it evenly across the bottom and sides.
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 and sprinkle with half of the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss gently to coat all vegetables 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. Lay the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the bed of vegetables in the baking dish.
04 - Scatter the minced garlic evenly over the chicken breasts and surrounding vegetables.
05 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes to allow the chicken and vegetables to cook through in the trapped steam.
06 - Carefully remove the foil and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated 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 fully melted with golden-brown spots on top.
07 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Serve each chicken breast over a portion of the roasted peppers and onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one dish, which means you get all the credit and barely any dishes to wash afterward.
- The peppers roast underneath the chicken and soak up every bit of seasoning and juices, becoming almost as satisfying as the main event.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to an even thickness first or they will dry out on the ends before the center cooks through.
- Do not skip the foil step because those first 20 minutes of covered baking are what keep the chicken juicy and give the peppers time to collapse into tenderness.
03 -
- Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre shredded bags because the anti caking agents on packaged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly.
- Arrange the peppers in a single even layer without piling them up and they will roast instead of steaming, which is the difference between good and unforgettable.