Chicken breasts, ketchup, fragrant Provençal herbs, vegetables, mushrooms, and melted cheese come together in these simple cutlets inspired by everyone’s favorite pizza. The meat is baked with all the toppings on a single tray, resulting in a juicy and flavorful lunch without frying.
This recipe doesn’t require complicated cooking or making a sauce. Simply season the chicken slices, spread them with ketchup, and top with onion, bell pepper, corn, cheese, and mushrooms. The original recipe doesn’t specify exact ingredient amounts, so you can easily adjust them to the number of servings and the size of each piece of meat.
What you’ll need
- chicken breasts,
- cheese,
- corn,
- red bell pepper,
- mushrooms,
- onion,
- ketchup,
- Provençal herbs,
- sweet paprika,
- granulated garlic,
- chicken seasoning,
- salt,
- ground pepper.
The original recipe doesn’t specify exact amounts, so adjust according to the number of servings and the size of your chicken slices. Use 1–2 tablespoons of ketchup per piece of meat.
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing the oven and tray: Preheat the oven to 180°C with both top and bottom heat. Line a baking tray or suitable dish with parchment paper to prevent the meat from sticking and to make transferring the finished dish easier.
2. Preparing the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into larger, flat cutlets and arrange them on the prepared tray. Place each piece side by side so they don’t overlap and there’s enough space for the vegetable and cheese layers.
3. Seasoning: Sprinkle each chicken slice with chicken seasoning, sweet paprika, and granulated garlic. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Try to distribute the spices evenly over the entire surface of the meat.
4. Spreading with ketchup: Spread 1–2 tablespoons of ketchup on each piece of chicken, almost to the edges. Then sprinkle the surface with Provençal herbs, which will give both the meat and the toppings a characteristic pizza aroma.
5. Slicing the vegetables: Cut the onion into small pieces or thin strips. Slice the red bell pepper as well, and clean and slice the mushrooms. Grate the cheese so it melts evenly during baking.
6. Layering the toppings: Top each prepared chicken cutlet with onion, sliced red bell pepper, and corn. Distribute the vegetables evenly and keep them on top of the meat, so each portion holds together after baking.
7. Adding cheese and mushrooms: Sprinkle the vegetable layer with grated cheese. Finally, arrange the sliced mushrooms on top. Before placing the tray in the oven, check that all the toppings are on the meat and return any that may have fallen onto the tray.
8. Baking: Place the tray in the oven preheated to 180°C and bake for 35 minutes with both top and bottom heat. The cheese will melt, the vegetables will soften, and all the flavors will combine with the seasoned chicken.
9. Serving: Remove the finished chicken cutlets from the oven and carefully separate them from the parchment paper. Serve them hot so the cheese stays nicely melted and the layers of toppings hold together on the meat.
How to make even toppings
Cut the vegetables into small, similar-sized pieces. This makes it easy to divide them among all the chicken slices and prevents them from falling off during serving. Place the mushrooms on top, just as in the original method.
Grate the cheese and spread it over the entire vegetable layer. There’s no need to press it down, as it will naturally melt and bind the other ingredients during the 35 minutes of baking at 180°C.
Why use parchment paper
Parchment paper makes it easier to transfer the finished cutlets from the tray and catches any ketchup, cheese, or stray bits of vegetables. It also makes cleaning the tray much easier. Before baking, just check that all the chicken slices are placed directly on the paper and not overlapping.
Final tip
Adjust the amount of onion, bell pepper, corn, mushrooms, and cheese according to the size of your chicken slices. The toppings should cover the meat but shouldn’t be piled too high, so they don’t slide off when serving. Measure out the ketchup as specified: 1–2 tablespoons per piece.
