Creamy Baked Sweet Pepper Chicken with Golden Cheese Crust Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Dice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Dice the onion, green peppers, and red kapya pepper into similar-sized pieces.

Measure out the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper paste, butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, and cheese. Have a 9x13-inch baking dish ready. Chop the parsley for garnish.

Instructions

Sauté and Simmer

1. 1Sauté the Chicken and Peppers
   Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breast and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green peppers, red kapya pepper, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Continue to cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the red pepper paste and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken and pepper mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
   Look for Chicken is golden and juices run clear; peppers are soft but not mushy.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Cut the chicken and vegetables into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
2. 2Make the Béchamel Sauce
   In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Add the nutmeg and salt to taste. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens and comes to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
   Look for Sauce is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to coat a spoon.
   Tip Whisk continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

The chicken is golden and cooked through, and the peppers are softened. The mixture smells savory with thyme and sweet peppers.

The béchamel is smooth and coats the spoon. The dish is ready to be assembled.

Assemble and Bake

3. 3Assemble and Bake
   Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the chicken and pepper mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded kaşar cheese over the top, covering completely. Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is blistered and golden brown.
   Look for Cheese is melted, blistered, and browned in spots; sauce is bubbling around edges.
   Tip If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

The casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted and blistered. The kitchen smells of toasted cheese and creamy sauce. The top is golden brown in spots, and the edges are bubbly.

Garnish and Serve

4. 4Garnish and Serve
   Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Slice into squares and serve warm, scooping up the creamy béchamel and chicken with each portion.
   Look for The casserole is set but still creamy; parsley adds a fresh green contrast.
   Tip Use a sharp knife to cut through the cheese crust cleanly.

The casserole is set but still creamy. The parsley adds a fresh green contrast to the golden crust. Slice into squares and serve warm, with the béchamel and chicken visible in each portion.

Common mistakes

Avoid overcooking the chicken in the skillet; it will continue to cook in the oven. Do not skip the béchamel; it provides the creamy texture.

Whisk the sauce constantly to prevent lumps. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Let the casserole rest before serving to keep it cohesive.

How to tell it’s done

The casserole is done when the cheese is melted, blistered, and golden brown in spots, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

The chicken should be cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to settle and the cheese to set slightly.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part