Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast (Print Page)

Tender chicken baked with colorful peppers and golden melted cheese

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 red bell peppers, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
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
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
02 - Arrange sliced bell peppers and red onion evenly in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with half of the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss to coat the vegetables thoroughly.
03 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each breast with the remaining salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Place the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the vegetable layer.
04 - Sprinkle minced garlic evenly over the chicken breasts and vegetables.
05 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
06 - Remove the foil and sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over the chicken breasts. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese is melted and golden.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in a single baking dish so you barely have to wash anything.
  • The combination of smoked paprika and melted cheese makes it taste like you spent hours.
  • It is naturally low carb and gluten free without tasting like health food.
02 -
  • Do not skip the foil covering step because the chicken will dry out before the vegetables have time to soften properly.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick pound them slightly between plastic wrap so everything finishes cooking at the same rate.
03 -
  • Slice the peppers into strips that are all roughly the same width so they roast evenly and look beautiful on the plate.
  • Broil the dish for the last two minutes if you want an extra crispy bubbly cheese top but watch it closely because it goes from perfect to burnt fast.