Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast Peppers (Print)

Tender chicken baked with tri-color peppers and bubbly cheese blend

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 (4.2 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/2 cup (2.1 oz) 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - Spread the sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers along with the sliced red onion evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and toss gently to coat all the vegetables.
03 - Lay the chicken breasts on top of the bed of vegetables. Brush each breast with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil.
04 - In a small bowl, combine the 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 approximately 1/2 tbsp of softened cream cheese, spreading it slightly across the surface.
06 - Toss the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses together, then sprinkle the blend evenly over the cream cheese-topped chicken breasts.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly.
08 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The bell peppers roast underneath the chicken and release juices that basically create their own sauce, no extra work required.
  • Two cheeses melted over seasoned chicken means every single bite is rich and satisfying without needing a complicated sauce.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which is rare for chicken breasts and something I discovered by accident.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting step because cutting into the chicken immediately releases all the juices onto your plate instead of keeping them in the meat.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them slightly between two pieces of parchment paper so they cook through before the cheese burns.
03 -
  • Slice the peppers fairly thin so they soften completely in the same time the chicken needs to cook through.
  • Let the cream cheese sit out for at least twenty minutes so it spreads easily without tearing the chicken surface.

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