Cheesy Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Tender chicken with a golden cheese and breadcrumb topping baked to perfection for a delicious meal.

# What You 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 ground 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 chopped fresh parsley (optional)

→ For greasing

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil or nonstick spray

# Directions:

01 - Preheat 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 evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
04 - Mix mozzarella and cheddar cheeses in a bowl and evenly sprinkle over the seasoned chicken breasts.
05 - Combine melted butter with breadcrumbs and sprinkle mixture evenly over the cheese layer.
06 - Place baking dish in oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and topping is golden and bubbly. Ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly tender while the topping gets crispy and golden, giving you two textures in one perfect bite.
  • It comes together in about 35 minutes from start to table, making it ideal for busy nights when you still want real food.
  • This is the kind of dish that makes people think you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did.
02 -
  • The chicken continues cooking a bit even after you pull it from the oven, so pulling it out just when it reaches 74°C keeps it moist rather than letting it dry out in those last lingering moments of heat.
  • Not all cheese melts the same way; aged cheddar will behave differently than mild, and pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make your topping less creamy if that matters to you.
03 -
  • If your breasts are different sizes, pound the thicker ones to roughly equal thickness so they all cook at the same rate and finish together.
  • Fresh breadcrumbs from a blender and stale bread create a better texture than store-bought; toss them with butter and let them toast in a skillet for two minutes before assembling for extra flavor and crunch.
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