Baked Mayonnaise Split Chicken Breasts is a simple recipe that starts with a spicy mayonnaise base, adds a Parmesan Panko topping, and bakes in the oven for an easy and economical dinner that takes about an hour.
🐓Ingredients
Split chicken breasts
Mayonnaise
Panko bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
Pantry ingredients—paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (optional), salt, and black pepper.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🐓Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Baked Mayonnaise Split Chicken Breasts—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
- 🐓What chicken to use
- 🤔How to best prepare split chicken breast for cooking
- 🐓Other split chicken breast recipe
- 🍽️How to serve chicken breasts
- ❄️Store leftovers
- ❓FAQs
- ⚕️Chicken food safety tips
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Tami:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Love this chicken. We have it at least once a month!"
So, what is better than one Paula Deen recipe? Well, the answer is two Paula Deen recipes. And neither one had butter. Amazing.
I was looking for an oven-fried chicken recipe. Paula Deen had a couple, and I combined them for a great topping and a spicy mayo base.
👨🍳How to Make Baked Mayonnaise Split Chicken Breasts—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375° convection. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and, if you have one, top it with a rack. Spray the pan well with PAM.
2. Dry and split the chicken breast in half.
3. Mix mayonnaise, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add optional cayenne and mix well.
4. Combine panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a dredging pan or on a large plate.
5. Paint the breasts on all sides with the mayo paste.
6. Roll in the breadcrumb mixture and place on the prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle the top with a little of the leftover breading mix and pat it on a little.
8. Bake at 375° for about 50 minutes to an internal temp of 165°.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
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🐓What chicken to use
In this recipe, I was aiming for a skin-on bone-in split chicken breast. It will work fine with skinless boneless chicken breasts but the cooking time will be a bit less. However, I have a specific recipe for the skinless boneless chicken breast that is what I would recommend you try Mayo Parmesan Chicken.
🤔How to best prepare split chicken breast for cooking
The main issue most people have cooking split chicken breast is the size they now come in. They are so big; you almost need to rest them like a turkey breast. Which makes them a non-weeknight recipe.
My solution is simple. We cut them up. Suddenly cooking is easier and quicker. The serving size is more appropriate and there is more surface area for seasonings and coatings.
- Start with patting the chicken breast dry. We no longer rinse chicken. See Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse?
- Cut off the rib section.
- Cut into 2 or 3 equal size pieces.
🐓Other split chicken breast recipe
I do love bone-in (Split) chicken breast recipes, they are economical, easy to bake or grill and packed with flavor. You may also like one of my all-time favores, Crispy Split Chicken Breasts or try some others variations like Herbs de Provence Chicken or Baked BBQ Split Chicken Breasts.
Or fire up the grill for Grilled BBQ Split Bone-in Chicken Breasts or Crispy Grilled Split Chicken Breasts,
🍽️How to serve chicken breasts
Serve with a starch vegetable, such as Oven Roasted Red Potatoes or a Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole. For a great finishing touch, add some dinner rolls and a fresh strawberry pie with Jello .
❄️Store leftovers
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days, but the skin texture will deteriorate. You can also freeze leftovers for 3 months.
Use the leftovers by just reheating, preferably in the oven covered. The microwave will affect the meat's texture. Also, leftovers are an excellent cut-up to top salads or make my basic chicken salad recipe or Waldorf Chicken Salad.
❓FAQs
Split chicken breasts are also known as bone-in chicken breasts.
Technically, bone-in chicken breast should include both sides of the chicken in one piece, but the breast bone is split during processing, creating two pieces. So they are called split or bone-in.
For years, they were called skin-on bone-in chicken breasts, but since they are not generally sold without the skin, the "skin-on" part is frequently dropped. Most cooks feel they have more taste and moisture than the more popular boneless skinless chicken breasts.
⚕️Chicken food safety tips
Raw chicken and other poultry should be considered contaminated and handled with care. Wash your hands carefully before and after touching raw chicken. We do NOT wash raw chicken routinely due to water splatter. See Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for more information.
You must cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165° for safety—see the USDA for more information. You need to check this with an instant-read thermometer.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Baked Mayonnaise Split Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts - with ribs removed AKA split chicken breast
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅕ teaspoon cayenne - optional
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° convection or 400° for a regular oven. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and topping it with a rack if you have one. Spray the rack with PAM.
- Pat dry chicken breast.
- Trim off ribs. Split the chicken breast in half
- Mix ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add ⅛ teaspoon cayenne and mix well.
- Combine ½ cup panko breadcrumbs and ¼ cup Parmesan in a dredging pan or on a large plate.
- Paint the breasts on all sides with the mayo paste.
- Roll in the breadcrumb mixture and place on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with a little of the leftover breading mix and pat it on a little.
- Bake at 375° for about 50 minutes to an internal temp of 165°.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Don't rinse chicken due to safety issues.
- Trim chicken by cutting off the rib section and then cutting it into 2-3 equal pieces.
- Elevation on a rack helps with even cooking.
- When placing on the baking tray or rack, put the thicker ends towards the outside of the tray.
- The minimum safe internal temperature is 165°. Please do not cut it short. But if you go much longer, it will dry out.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published September 18, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Tami Letosky says
Love this chicken. We have it at least once a month!
JANINE says
Is this covered with tinfoil to bake
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Janine,
Welcome to the blog.
Uncovered. Hope you enjoy the chicken.
Dan
SCV says
This is really good. :) Made it twice in one week, because hubby ask for it again. The only thing I did differently the second time ,( because I make it just as the recipe says the first time. ) I added some poultry seasoning and that was good too, Thanks for sharing a great recipe. =D
Erica says
Just made this for the first time for my family of 5. We all absolutely loved it. We'll be making it often. Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Made it
I know it's going to be good
The only thing I did different
Was bake it a little longer , for fear that 50 minutes would not be long enough !!
Jordan says
This recipe was really good. I used skinless bone in chicken thighs because of flavor. My son 2 year old son who doesn't eat very much meat are a whole new thigh and even started a second. When I was making it I also did something a little different and put the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a gallon sized bag, shook it up to mix it together than put my mayo chicken in the bag and shook to coat the chicken. Just made clean up that much easier. We will be making this recipe for a long time. It's simple to make and turns out really good. The mayo mix only coats three thighs just FYI when you try it that way.
Lee says
Question: what would happen if you mix the chicken in the mayo paste and left it sitting over night in the refrigerator and baked it the next morning ?
DrDan says
I suspect it would transfer some flavor to the meat but have never done it. If you try, please post the results.
Dan
Dan says
This was very good. But I am wondering what recipes recieved a 5 rating from you? Any links?
DrDan says
Thanks for the note.
I don't keep track of my personal "5" ratings but I believe all will be in my top recipe category https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/category/101s-top-posts/ this is entirely my opinion and not influenced by public ratings.
Public ratings which everyone looks at are very odd. I have people praise the heck out of a recipe and then give a one or two. I have people with issues give a 5. I don't understand sometimes.
Kristin says
Years ago I read that rubbing mayonnaise under the skin of a turkey helps maintain its moisture. Now I do that with chicken breast, as well. Turns out awesome every time.
Mike R. says
Question-You say 375 convection. I have a still oven, should I heat to 400 degrees F? Please don't use my E-mail for anything but responses to my questions or ratings, Thank You.
DrDan says
Yep 400 conventional oven will do fine. As for the email... safe here. If you sign up for emails in the widget... you will probably get the email updates ... if it still works. Notice no email pop-ups etc.
DrDan
Marci P says
We love this recipe. I do what you do and combine recipes searching for substitutes we like.
Sensitive stomachs here...nothing spicy. The only change I made was the mayo mixture...used some Lawrys seasoning...no pepper, paprika or garlic. It worked out very well. Thanks for sharing. 5 stars
john sharp says
Today will be using this recipe for the 4th time in as many weeks. ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating. This is one I did over and over for a while but it has been a year. I need to do this again.
DrDan
Pat says
My husband called me a chef after serving this dish! We are 85 and still stretching our palettes! I neglected to read recipe all the way thru to see temperature on conventional oven! Mine does both but have never used the convection feature. I wasted some time looking at conversions. Will definitely make again!
Tonia Johnson says
Great site and very informative. Think I'm going to try the mayonnaise and parmesan chicken tonight.
DrDan says
I really like this recipe. Thanks so much for being the first commenter and the rating.
DrDan