This Baked Chicken and Peppers is a true healthy dinner crowd pleaser! Tender chicken breast is baked with sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms under a blanket of cheese for a flavorful meal.
Reader’s Review
This is my go to recipe! The only thing I change is I add the peppers/onions/mushrooms right on top of the pounded chicken breast and make sure they are single layer – some fall on the pan sheet and that’s OK (and make ifoodreal brown rice recipe in Instant Pot). Easiest comfort dinner ever! Thank you!
Bridget Peterson
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pure and simple: Baked chicken and peppers recipe use just a handful of real food ingredients that taste amazing.
- It’s flexible: I love this dish the way it is, but by all means, tweak the veggies and seasonings to how you like it.
- A crowd pleaser: Just like with my chicken and zucchini and chicken and tomatoes, entire family will love this chicken and peppers! It also looks impressive and reminds me my salsa fresca chicken bake.
- Easy to make: It’s easy to make in just under 1 hour which is perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients for Baked Chicken and Peppers
Since this chicken and peppers recipe focuses on fresh ingredients, select the best possible ones you can find to really let them shine!
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs. Use a plumper breast for the ultimate flavor. You can also use chicken tenderloins, just bake them for 5 minutes less.
- Bell peppers: You’ll need 2, use a variety of colors. Red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper or orange bell pepper. Green bell pepper works too!
- Mushrooms: Adds a umami robust taste. Use brown mushrooms or portobello mushrooms for more flavor than white mushrooms. Either will work and each one will have great texture.
- Aromatics: I used yellow onion and garlic. Substitute with red onion for different taste.
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper. Feel free to add additional spices to your chicken and peppers recipe. Italian seasoning, oregano, paprika or even taco seasoning. Throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Oil: Coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil all work. This is used to sauté the veggies over medium-low heat so you can use an oil that doesn’t require a high smoke point.
- Cheese: Sharp cheese like cheddar, marble, Gouda, or Gruyere cheese works well and adds bold flavor to this dish. You can, however, use a milder cheese such as mozzarella cheese or provolone.
- Herbs: Optional addition is to sprinkle with some fresh parsley or basil. If you don’t have it, don’t sweat it.
How to Make Chicken and Peppers
Preheat your oven to 425 F.
- Bake the chicken: To the large baking dish, add chicken breasts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or tongs, mix everything, making sure all pieces of chicken are coated. Cover and bake until it’s completely cooked through.
- Saute the veggies: While chicken is baking, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle some oil. Then add onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, then add bell peppers last. Continue to stir occasionally until your vegetables are soft and caramelized a bit.
- Assemble the dish: Remove chicken from the oven and turn on broiler. You’ll know your chicken is cooked because it will be surrounded by its own clear juices. Separate chicken pieces just slightly to allow any veggies to sit around as well as on top. Top each piece with the veggie mixture and then with cheese.
- Broil: Broil until the cheese is melted.
Tips for Best Results
- Chop veggies in similar sizes: Not only does it help them cook better but it will be easier to get some in each bite.
- Saute the right way: You’ll notice that recipe states you add one veggie at a time to saute. Adding them all together will steam them and turning mushy. Mushrooms contain quite a bit of water, so follow the recipe and it will be great.
- A sear: If you are really wanting a sear on your chicken, you can brown it first in the skillet before adding to the baking dish.
Serving Ideas
Chicken with peppers is as good served cold as it is hot! I do recommend you keep the juices and use it as a sauce when serving.
- Grain: Like white rice, brown rice, or learn how to cook quinoa on the stovetop.
- Potatoes: If you like potatoes try this dish with Instant Pot mashed potatoes.
- Low carb: Try zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mashed potatoes.
- Serve it cold: On a summer evening enjoy with lemon kale salad and a basket of bread to sop up those juices!
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: Can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: To reheat, place in the oven at 350 degrees F along with all of its juices, covered. Bake for 10 minutes, until the dish is heated through.
FAQs
Absolutely! If you have an oven safe skillet large enough, you could definitely make this a one pan dish and take it right from the skillet to the oven. Otherwise, you could also make this completely on the stovetop and cook it covered on low.
If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, you can leave them out altogether and add some more bell peppers. Or you can replace them with something else like corn, broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Ground chicken stuffed peppers
- Baked caprese chicken
- Sheet pan chicken fajitas
- Sheet pan chicken and veggies
- Caprese chicken with zucchini
Baked Chicken and Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, boneless & skinless
- 1 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 10 brown mushrooms or 2 portobellos, chopped
- 2 large bell peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil, for frying
- 1 cup sharp cheese like cheddar, marble, Gouda or Gruyere, shredded
- 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If using breasts cut in half lengthwise.
- In a large baking dish, add chicken, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes. Chicken is cooked when pale and surrounded by clear juices.
- In the meanwhile, preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and saute for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bell peppers and saute for 5 more minutes, stirring.
- Remove chicken from the oven and turn broiler on High. Separate chicken a bit from each other and top each piece with vegetables (sprinkle around too) and top with cheese. Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve chicken hot with its juices over rice, quinoa or zucchini noodles. This chicken and peppers dish tastes cold amazing too!
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat by baking with juices while covered for 10 minutes at 350 F.
- Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe. I served it over rice,it was quick so easy to prepare and flavor was great. Thank you so much.
You are very welcome Jo!
I didn’t have mushrooms and added chopped zucchini. My husband loved it, and my toddler ate the bell peppers and cheese 😉
Sounds like the whole family loved it!
I found this recipe looking for one that I could use up some peppers and mushrooms. It was easy and the chicken was so moist. My husband really liked it. I will definitely make again.
That’s great to hear Vera!
This was simple but absolutely delicious! Thank you!
You are welcome Kelly!
I was skeptical and so pleasantly surprised!! Definitely a keeper! Mmmmmm!!
Awesome Pammie!
Very easy to make, and it came out great for us! I made it with two small chicken breasts, and reduced the other ingredients accordingly.
So great to hear this Ed! Thanks for sharing.
Do you have recipes where you can use their chicken drumsticks besides the chicken wild rice soup?
Yes here https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-chicken-recipes/drumsticks-and-legs/
Olena,
What makes the colesterol so high in this receipe?
Hi Marie! The main source of cholesterol in this recipe comes from the chicken. The only other ingredient that contains cholesterol is the cheese.
I love this chicken dish! So easy and versatile. I change up the veggies, depending what I have. Tonight I added zucchini, which works perfectly. Absolutely delicious!
Thanks for sharing Karen! I really appreciate hearing how much you enjoy this recipe 🙂
I made this the other night- used Gouda and Gruyere cheeses and oh my goodness!
I had the thought, of baking the chicken over a bed of rice for a one pan meal. I will try this next time.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Marisue!
Thanks Karen I made this tonight I followed your directions I got a sub buns put me some mayo on the buns and put that chicken and vegetables oh my goodness delicious thanks for sharing
Louise