Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast And Peppers (Printable)
Juicy chicken baked with colorful peppers and golden melted cheese. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 5 oz each
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, sliced
→ Cheese
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Dairy
08 - 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
→ Herbs & Spices
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Arrange the sliced bell peppers and red onion evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and toss to coat.
03 - Place chicken breasts on top of the vegetables and brush with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
04 - In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over each chicken breast.
05 - Dot each chicken breast with 1/2 tbsp softened cream cheese, spreading gently across the surface.
06 - Toss mozzarella and cheddar cheeses together, then distribute evenly over the chicken breasts.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and cheese is golden and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It turns plain chicken breasts into something you will actually crave again the same week.
- The peppers roast underneath and release juices that keep everything incredibly moist without any extra effort.
02 -
- Do not skip the rest time or you will watch all those beautiful juices run straight onto the cutting board.
- If your chicken breasts vary in thickness, the thinner ones will finish cooking faster, so check each one with a thermometer.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to even thickness before seasoning and every piece will finish cooking at the same time.
- Broil for the last two minutes if you want those irresistible browned cheese spots across the top.