Description
Foolproof baked chicken breast recipe with creamy mayonnaise and parmesan coating that keeps chicken incredibly moist and flavorful. Uses simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
For 4 people:
- 4 chicken breasts (whatever size, doesn’t matter)
- 1 cup mayo or Greek yogurt (I use whatever’s cheaper)
- ½ cup grated parmesan (the real stuff, not the green can)
- ½ tsp seasoning salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Add if you want:
- Paprika for color
- Lemon juice if you have it
- Whatever herbs are dying in your fridge
- Onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
Heat your oven to 375°F. While it’s heating up, grease your baking dish with butter, cooking spray, or just rub it with a paper towel that has some oil on it. Whatever works. I usually forget to grease it and the chicken sticks a little but it still tastes fine.
In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo, parmesan, seasoning salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir it up until it looks like thick frosting. It should be smooth and creamy. If you’re using Greek yogurt instead of mayo, it might look a little lumpy but that’s normal. Add any extra seasonings you want at this point.
Put your chicken breasts in the baking dish. If they’re really thick, you can pound them thinner with a meat mallet or rolling pin, but I usually don’t bother unless they’re huge. Just spread that creamy mixture all over the tops and sides of each piece. Use your hands or a spoon, whatever’s easier. Make sure every bit of chicken is covered because any naked spots will dry out.
Don’t be shy with the coating. Glob it on there. The whole point is to seal in the moisture. My kids always want to help with this part because it’s like frosting a cake, except it’s dinner.
Stick the pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. The exact time depends on how thick your chicken is. Thin pieces might be done in 35 minutes, thick ones might take 50. You’ll know it’s ready when the top is golden brown and crispy looking.
The most important thing is that the internal temperature hits 165°F when you stick a thermometer in the thickest part. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut into the thickest piece and make sure the juices are clear and there’s no pink inside.
This is super important even though you’ll want to eat it right away because it smells incredible. Let the chicken sit for at least 5 minutes before you cut it. This lets all the juices redistribute so they don’t run out when you slice it. I learned this from watching cooking shows and it actually makes a difference.
Notes
Cover the pan with foil for the first 30 minutes if you want extra juicy chicken. Then take the foil off for the last 15 minutes so the top gets golden and crispy. This works great if your family likes really moist chicken.
Pound thick chicken breasts to about ¾ inch thickness so they cook evenly. Put them between plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and whack them with a rolling pin or meat mallet. It’s actually kind of therapeutic after a bad day at work.
Don’t use light mayo or fat-free anything. You need the fat for moisture and flavor. I tried the light mayo once and it was terrible. Just use the good stuff and eat smaller portions if you’re worried about calories.
Let the chicken sit out for about 20 minutes before cooking so it’s not ice cold when it goes in the oven. Cold chicken takes longer to cook and might not cook evenly. I forget this half the time but when I remember, it works better.
Room temperature ingredients mix together easier too. If your mayo is really cold it’s hard to spread evenly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American