Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Tender chicken topped with melted cheese and crispy breadcrumbs, baked to golden perfection for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
03 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (approximately 3.5 oz)
08 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (approximately 1.75 oz)
09 - 1/2 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs (approximately 1.6 oz)
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

→ For greasing

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil or nonstick spray

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
04 - Mix mozzarella and cheddar cheeses in a separate bowl and evenly sprinkle the cheese mixture over the seasoned chicken breasts.
05 - Combine the breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle the mixture evenly atop the cheese layer.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and topping is golden and bubbly.
07 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The combination of melted mozzarella and sharp cheddar creates this incredible golden crust that makes the chicken feel special without any fancy techniques
  • Everything comes together in under 40 minutes start to finish, perfect for those nights when you want something satisfying but do not have hours to spend cooking
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that overcrowding the pan makes the chicken steam instead of bake, so use a bigger dish or work in two batches if needed
  • The cheese can go from perfectly melted to burnt in literally seconds, so set a timer and check at the 20 minute mark just to be safe
03 -
  • Room temperature cheese melts more evenly, so take it out of the fridge while you prep everything else
  • If the topping starts browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last few minutes of baking
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