Description
Parmesan Ranch Chicken is an easy and flavorful baked chicken dish featuring juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts coated in a crispy parmesan and panko breadcrumb crust, enhanced with garlic and ranch dressing for a tangy, savory finish. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this recipe delivers a satisfying crunch and cheesy goodness in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Coating
- 1 cup bottled ranch dressing
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- â…” cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Finishing
- Cooking spray
- Additional grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC) to ensure it’s hot enough to create a crispy crust on the chicken.
- Prepare the chicken breasts: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness for uniform cooking. This helps the chicken cook evenly and prevents overcooking thinner parts.
- Mix the breadcrumb coating: On a large plate, combine the panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken breast into the ranch dressing, ensuring it is well coated. Then press the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, covering all sides thoroughly.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Place the coated chicken breasts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top if desired, and lightly spray with cooking spray to encourage browning and crispiness.
- Bake the chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) and the coating is golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in ranch dressing overnight before coating and baking.
- Pounding chicken breasts ensures even cooking and prevents dryness.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for mild flavor.
- Cooking spray helps achieve a crispy crust without deep frying.
