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This dump-and-bake easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken requires just 3 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep! It’s a perfect family-friendly, healthy, low carb dinner recipe for your busy weeknights.
We all need more quick chicken breast recipes, and this healthy, low carb option does not disappoint! Pair it with any of your favorite sides for a versatile, family-friendly meal that requires minimal effort.
What is Parmesan Crusted Chicken?
This dish is exactly what it sounds like — chicken that’s coated in a crust of Parmesan cheese and seasonings. There are many pan fried Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipes out there, but I prefer to make it even easier by baking the chicken breasts in the oven. There’s no hands-on work, and it keeps the meal even healthier!
How to make Parmesan Crusted Chicken in the oven:
As I mentioned above, this is practically a dump-and-bake recipe. Simply toss the chicken in the “breading” and pop it in the oven!
Ingredients that you’ll need for easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Italian salad dressing mix
How do you make breading?
This Parmesan Crusted Chicken is actually made without breadcrumbs! Simply combine the Parmesan cheese and the dry Italian dressing mix in a large bowl or bag.
Add the chicken, toss to coat, and then place the chicken in a baking dish. I like to use some of the extra Parmesan breading to press onto the top of the chicken for even more flavor. Then discard any leftover Parmesan mixture that has touched the raw chicken.
Bake the chicken in a 400 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The crust will be crispy and golden brown, while the chicken will stay tender and juicy.
What are good sides for Parmesan Crusted Chicken?
This dish pairs nicely with just about any vegetable and starch. Here are a few easy side dishes that go well with the baked chicken:
- Rice, egg noodles, crusty French bread, or Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 3-Ingredient Homemade Breadsticks
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Crispy Seasoned Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Southern Collard Greens
- Easy Broccoli Casserole
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Southern Slow Cooker Green Beans
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken. The type of baking dish that you use can also impact the cooking time (dark, nonstick metal pans or a cast iron pan will cook the meat faster than a ceramic or glass dish, for instance). As a result, a meat thermometer is the best way to know when your chicken is done. The meat is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, if you prefer. The chicken thighs typically cook faster than the chicken breasts, so they will likely be done in about 20-25 minutes.
- Nutrition information provided is an estimate based on about half of the Parmesan breading. The rest gets discarded after preparation.
- How do you tenderize chicken? While it’s absolutely not necessary in this recipe, you can certainly tenderize the chicken before preparing, if desired. To do so, slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise so that you have two thin fillets. Then use a meat mallet to tenderize and flatten the meat, breaking up the fibers. If you use this method, the chicken will cook much faster than the recipe indicates (so adjust accordingly).
- Is Parmesan Crusted Chicken healthy? Yes — this dish is low carb, Keto-friendly, and high protein. Each large chicken breast has about 300 calories, less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fat, and 57 grams of protein.
- Is this recipe gluten-free? No, some quick research shows that the Italian dressing mix used in the breading does include gluten.
- The leftover chicken will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat the meat, place the chicken on a baking sheet or in a dish and warm in a 325 degree F oven just until the coating is crisp again and the meat is warmed through.
- Can you freeze Parmesan Crusted Chicken? Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken. Wrapped tightly, it will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More easy baked chicken breast recipes that you might enjoy:
- Dump-and-Bake Cranberry Chicken
- 5-Minute Honey French Baked Chicken Breasts
- “No Work” Baked Chicken
- Southern Baked Chicken Parmesan
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 (1 ounce) packets Italian salad dressing mix
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 chicken breasts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray (I used a 2-quart cast iron pan here, but you can use any dish that holds your chicken).
- In a large Ziploc bag or in a large bowl, combine grated cheese and dry salad dressing mix. Add chicken and toss to coat.
- Place chicken in prepared dish. Press some extra Parmesan mixture on top of each chicken breast, and then discard any extra. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes (or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
Notes
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken. The type of baking dish that you use can also impact the cooking time (dark, nonstick metal pans or a cast iron pan will cook the meat faster than a ceramic or glass dish, for instance). As a result, a meat thermometer is the best way to know when your chicken is done. The meat is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, if you prefer. The chicken thighs typically cook faster than the chicken breasts, so they will likely be done in about 20-25 minutes.
- Nutrition information provided is an estimate based on about half of the Parmesan breading. The rest gets discarded after preparation.
- How do you tenderize chicken? While it’s absolutely not necessary in this recipe, you can certainly tenderize the chicken before preparing, if desired. To do so, slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise so that you have two thin fillets. Then use a meat mallet to tenderize and flatten the meat, breaking up the fibers. If you use this method, the chicken will cook much faster than the recipe indicates (so adjust accordingly).
- Is Parmesan Crusted Chicken healthy? Yes — this dish is low carb, Keto-friendly, and high protein. Each large chicken breast has about 300 calories, less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fat, and 57 grams of protein.
- Is this recipe gluten-free? No, some quick research shows that the Italian dressing mix used in the breading does include gluten.
- The leftover chicken will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat the meat, place the chicken on a baking sheet or in a dish and warm in a 325 degree F oven just until the coating is crisp again and the meat is warmed through.
- Can you freeze Parmesan Crusted Chicken? Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken. Wrapped tightly, it will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
This was such a nice easy meal! We all need these types of recipes. The chicken was moist and tasted great! Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Nancy! 🙂