This recipe for Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken is an easy way to jazz up chicken breasts. You just need a few ingredients from your pantry to make it!
I’m constantly on the lookout for easy weeknight meals. This Easy Ranch Chicken and Crockpot Pork Chops are a few of our favorites.
And now we can add Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken to the dinner rotation. It’s a seriously easy, quick, and delicious way to make a package of chicken breasts into a meal.
I’ve seen recipes for this in a variety of vintage cookbooks, and I’ve tried a few. The major problem with most recipes is soggy chicken. Yuck.
This recipe, which I found clipped from a newspaper in my Grandma’s recipe book, uses one special ingredient to avoid a soggy topping: mayonnaise!
We’ll brush it on the chicken to make the breadcrumbs stick. It’s thick enough that it doesn’t drench the chicken and make it soggy (like a butter coating would). And, the fat from the mayo helps to keep the chicken moist as it bakes. A win-win!
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Top tips
- Use a good quality parmesan cheese for this (not the stuff from the green can, which won’t melt properly).
- The chicken breasts should be roughly the same size so they’ll cook evenly in the oven.
- The key to moist, juicy chicken breasts is cooking them to the correct temperature. A meat thermometer is helpful for this.
Ingredients
- You can use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
- We’ll coat the chicken with mayonnaise to help the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture stick.
- Paprika and dried mustard add flavor to the breadcrumb coating. Use smoked paprika if you’d like!
How to make baked parmesan crusted chicken
Start by placing the parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, paprika, and dried mustard into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Shake to combine.
Then, brush the chicken breasts generously on all sides with the mayonnaise.
Using tongs, place the chicken breasts, on at a time, into the breadcrumb mixture and shake gently to coat.
Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Place the chicken on a sheet pan. (I line mine with a silicone mat for easy clean-up.)
Bake for 20–22 minutes at 425°F, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
How long to cook parmesan crusted chicken
The cooking time will depend on the cut of chicken that you are using.
For best results, use a meat thermometer—the thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F when the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven promptly after it reaches 165°F so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Here’s a quick guide for cooking chicken at 425°F:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 18–22 minutes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: 22–24 minutes
- Bone-in chicken thighs: 30–35 minutes
- Drumsticks: 35–40 minutes
Make it ahead/reheating
I recommend baking the chicken right before you plan to serve it. However, you can mix the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture ahead of time. Just seal the bag and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to coat the chicken breasts and bake it.
To reheat leftover parmesan crusted chicken, place it in the oven for 5–6 minutes at 425°F, or until warmed through.
Variations
- Use panko breadcrumbs instead of fine breadcrumbs
- Use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs instead of plain
- Substitute pecorino romano cheese for the parmesan
- Add dried herbs such as dried basil and dried oregano (¼ teaspoon each)
- Light or low-fat mayo will work just fine instead of full-fat
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts (see recipe card for cooking time)
Can I freeze parmesan crusted chicken?
You can freeze parmesan crusted chicken for up to 3 months in a resealable freezer bag (get ALL of the air out first!). However, the breadcrumb topping may not be as crispy after defrosting/reheating the chicken.
More chicken dinner recipes
Here are a few more favorites from the archives!
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack or silicone mat on top of a sheet pan.
- Place the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, dry mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Shake to combine.
- Brush the chicken breasts generously with the mayonnaise on all sides. Add one chicken breast to the bag and shake gently to coat. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Place the chicken breasts on the wire racked-topped sheet pan. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165°F in the thickest part.
Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: 22–24 minutes
- Bone-in chicken thighs: 30–35 minutes
- Drumsticks: 35–40 minutes
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