Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast and Peppers (Printable Version)

Tender chicken baked with colorful bell peppers and melted golden cheese for an easy family dinner.

# 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, thinly sliced into half-moons
06 - 2 garlic cloves, 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 grease a large 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, ensuring an even coating 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 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 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 surrounding vegetables.
05 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and the vegetables to soften in the steam.
06 - 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 melted, bubbly, and golden.
07 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute for more tender, flavorful results. Serve each breast over a bed of the roasted peppers and onions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in a single dish, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and you get to feel very smug about it.
  • The peppers soften into sweet, jammy ribbons that taste like they took far more effort than twenty minutes in the oven.
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them slightly between two pieces of plastic wrap so they cook evenly and stay juicy rather than drying out on the ends.
  • Do not skip the foil step because the chicken needs that trapped steam to stay tender before the cheese goes on.
03 -
  • Slice any leftover chicken and vegetables and tuck them into a tortilla with a little extra cheese for a phenomenal next day wrap.
  • The vegetables release plenty of moisture as they cook, so never add water or broth to the dish or you will end up with soup instead of a bake.

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