This 5-ingredient oven chicken is the kind of dependable dinner that saves a busy evening and still feels like a real home-cooked meal. Everything goes right into one baking dish, the chicken stays whole and juicy, and the simple combination of pantry staples and a few fresh add-ins creates a flavorful baked chicken supper with almost no fuss. It is perfect for nights when you want something hearty, family-friendly, and easy to serve straight from the oven.
Serve this chicken with fluffy rice, buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes to soak up the flavorful juices in the pan. A simple green salad, steamed green beans, corn, or roasted broccoli all pair nicely, and warm dinner rolls make it easy to turn the dish into a full comfort-food meal for the table.
5-Ingredient Oven Chicken
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 raw whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix, about 1 ounce
1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, undrained
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish so the chicken releases easily after baking.
2. Arrange the raw whole chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the dry Italian dressing mix evenly over the chicken, then spoon the undrained diced tomatoes and diced bell pepper over and around the breasts.
3. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
4. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the hot chicken and return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
5. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the pan juices and vegetables over each piece and serve hot with your favorite side dishes.
Variations & Tips
For extra flavor: Add a thin layer of sliced onion under the chicken or a pinch of garlic powder before baking. Those little additions make the pan juices even tastier for spooning over rice or potatoes.
For picky eaters: If your family is unsure about visible vegetables, use very finely diced peppers or swap them for drained mild salsa so the flavors blend more smoothly into the sauce.
To keep the chicken juicy: Try to choose chicken breasts that are similar in size so they bake evenly. If some pieces are very thick, you can gently pound them to a more even thickness before placing them in the dish.
Cheese swap: Mozzarella gives a mild, melty finish, but provolone, Monterey Jack, or a mozzarella-cheddar blend also work nicely if that is what you have on hand.
Make-ahead tip: You can assemble the dish a few hours ahead, cover it, and refrigerate it until dinnertime. When ready to bake, let the dish sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes first if it came straight from the refrigerator.