This baked chicken breast recipe has everything. It’s extremely moist, great taste, a little crunchiness. Plus, it is SIMPLE. You can never have enough great chicken breast recipes.
Editors Note:Originally Published December 12, 2012, It has been buried on the blog for a while and needed to see the light of day. The pictures are re-edited. The text is re-written and buffed up. And one modification to technique adding a flip in the middle of cooking. This is a great recipe that has a skill level of 2/10.
This is a baked skinless boneless chicken recipe using with an easy tasty coating. The “inspired by” for today goes to Melt in Your Mouth Chicken Breast at Food.com.
While it is a top rate recipe, I thought it needed a little crunch and some other small touches. But otherwise, a wonderful recipe.
The recipe starts with a base of some mayo. Add some Parmesan and seasoning. Coat some well-trimmed skinless boneless chicken breasts.
To add crunch sprinkle all sides with some Italian bread crumbs. Bake and you’re in chicken heaven.
My Rating
The wife started chanting 5 and then changed Christmas dinner to this. I think she liked it. And so did I.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Parmesan Baked Chicken Breast
First, The Chicken Breast
This recipe uses skinless boneless chicken breasts which have “grown” in my lifetime. Once upon a time, we were talking 6-8 oz. Now mostly about 10-12 oz and occasionally a full pound.
Try to pick chicken that is all about the same size. The results overall will be better since they will cook more evenly. If you are cooking more than two, larger breast to the outside of the pan helps a lot.
Cooking Method.
I love cooking my chicken on a rack. You really need to get a rack. For a few dollars, you will become a much better cook. But get one that is “oven safe.” Some racks are cooling racks only and have a coating.
If your local store does not have them, Amazon will. I list a few in Cooking for Two Shop, but others will work.
The Coating
You need a base and the original recipe calls for mayo. You will see in the comments that even the “mayo haters” love it. You can use a lower fat if you wish. Other similar recipes use yogurt. The yogurt is frequently non-fat.
The coat of the mayo should be light. Too much will make the chicken wet.
A final note on the mayo. Miracle Whip is NOT mayonnaise. It has some sweetness and multiple other spices. Please do not use it in this recipe. Or at least realize it may convey some tastes.
The Bread Crumbs
It is always tempting to add more of something you like. I like Panko breadcrumbs. But a LIGHT sprinkle. If you do more, you will have a “Panko Chicken” so let’s be careful.
This is an easy recipe to adjust. Cut in half for two or double for a full family. Cut the fat with low-fat mayo or use nonfat Greek yogurt.
The Flip
I’m adding a suggest flip of the chicken halfway through the cooking. Some (not me nor many others) are having problems with a soggy bottom.
A couple of possibilities occur to me. First, previously frozen chicken or older chicken can release more fluid. Also, too much or thinner mayo could contribute. Or nothing they did.
Either way, the flip should help those cases and won’t hurt. Use a fork for the flip. Tongs may remove some coating.
Food Safety Tips
Chicken should not be rinsed for food safety. It will splatter germs over your kitchen. For more details, please see Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse? .
Other Great Chicken Breast Suggestions
Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts
Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Preheat oven to 375 convection or 400 regular oven. Trim and pat dry 3-4 skinless boneless chicken breasts.
Mix in a medium bowl 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh shredded preferred), 1 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (I used Lawry’s), 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. This is more than you need.
Prepare a cooking sheet with aluminum foil (to help clean up) and a rack. The rack will help crispness all around. You can do without the rack, but the bottom will not be crispy. Give the rack a good spray of PAM.
Dip the chicken breasts in the mayonnaise Parmesan mixture. Be sure to get all surface coated. Finger use allowed but be sure to wash well after. Note: keep it light and do not try to use all the coating.
Lightly sprinkle with some Italian bread crumbs on both sides. I used about 1/3 cup on three large breasts. You are not coating them. Just adding some crispy and flavor.
Bake until internal temp of 165. This will vary by oven but mostly by the size of the chicken breast. At 20 minutes into baking, flip the breasts with a fork. The total cooking time of about 40 minutes for medium to large. 45 minute for huge. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Parmesan Mayonnaise Baked Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts trimmed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - grated - fresh preferred
- 1 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt - Lawry’s
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 convection or 400 regular oven. Trim and pat dry 3-4 skinless boneless chicken breasts. Get them very dry.
- Mix in a medium bowl 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh shredded preferred), 1 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (I used Lawry’s), 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. This will make more than you need.
- Prepare a cooking sheet with aluminum foil (to help clean up) and a rack. The rack will help crispness all around. You can do without the rack, but the bottom will not be crispy. Give the rack a good spray of PAM.
- Dip the chicken breasts in the mayonnaise Parmesan mixture. Be sure to get all surface coated. Finger use allowed but be sure to wash well after. KEEP IT LIGHT and do not try to use all the coating.
- Lightly sprinkle with some Italian bread crumbs on both sides. I used about 1/3 cup on three large breasts. You are not coating them. Just adding some crispy and flavor.
- Bake until internal temp of 165. This will vary by oven but mostly by the size of the chicken breast. At 20 minutes into baking, flip the breasts with a fork.
- Total cooking time of about 40 minutes for medium to large. 45 minute for huge. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Try to use chicken breasts of about the same size.
- Be sure to pat dry the chicken breasts. Very dry. The coating will stick better.
- Keep the coating light and bread crumbs light. Do not use all the coating.
- I added a flip in the middle of the recipes. Some appear to need it. Use a fork please. Not mandatory.
- Miracle Whip is NOT mayonnaise. It has some sweetness and multiple spices.
- Obviously an easy recipe to adjust.
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Originally Published December 12, 2012
This Recipe Featured in These Recipe Roundups
Shannon
Wondering if off the shelf parmesan cheese could be used?
DrDan
Hi Shannon,
Welcome to the blog.
Any parmesan will work. But the better the quality, the better the results.
Dan
Carol Dworkin
Love this recipe. So quick, easy, and delightful!
I had a knee replaced and can’t stand too long yet and this works for me. Thank you Dan
Jan Bucanelli
I made this mayo parm chicken my family loved it I did use the 20 minute flip. It is Amazing 😀 Mine didn’t get crusted a lot guess I didn’t use enough bread crumbs but it was still Amazing I have made it 2 times in 2 weeks our new favorite chicken 😀❤️. Thank You 😊
Leann
Trying this for dinner today. Do I cover the chicken with foil?
DrDan
Hi Leann.
Welcome to the blog.
Uncovered. We want it to crisp some. The foil will trap moisture and also prolong cooking time.
Dan
Shell
Tried this first time not the greatest but good you have to flip the chicken even on a rack unless you want crispy on top and dog on the bottom
Shelby
Question. I have some chicken breast fillets in my freezer, would I be able to use that to make this chicken? Please advise! Sounds delicious :)
DrDan
Hi Shelby,
Welcome to the blog.
It somewhat depends on exactly what you have. To me, chicken breast filets are a thinner piece of a skinless boneless chicken breast that is cut to have a more even thickness. More of a cutlet. If the chicken is too thin, it will get over cooked rapidly before the crust is done.
So my guess is not a good choice.
Dan
samantha
Hi shelby, I have made this recipe with thinner chicken breasts and it was great. Adjust the cooking time and no need to flip. I cook mine in a glass baking dish for about 20-25 minutes and spread the mayo mixture on just the top of the chicken.
DrDan
Hi Samantha,
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks for the report and suggestion for another cooking method.
Dan
Joni
My family loves this chicken and my husband is picky. For the rest of us I finely chop a couple of artichoke hearts. Yummy and easy.
Cynthia Fabros
I used this recipe before about a year or so ago. My family loved it then. I made it again today and my family still loved it!! I didn’t measure everything out exactly as it said but it still turned out great!! Not soggy at all.
Judy
Hi, tried the chicken, delicious. The next time I made it I put 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese in the mayonnaise, loved it
KE
Your other recipes have been great, but this one was a disaster. Coating mostly fell off during cooking, and the end result was completely tasteless, rubbery, inedible chicken. Although it did do a nice job of smoking /stinking up the house! One clunker in the bunch doesn’t detract from all the other good recipes….
Ryan
I feel like when 9 out of 10 comments on a recipe are about how good it turns out and how great it tastes, you can’t really blame the recipe. When someone runs a red light at an intersection, you don’t assume it’s the car that sucks.
kimberlee
Very very good and flavorful . I followed the directions , I did skip the flip though and it was fine (Did use a rack) . Terrific recipe! Thank you for posting .
Lylene M
Hubby gives two thumbs up… says he feels like he’s eating a fine restaurant meal. I’ve broiled fish with a similar topping, but I really love these flavors. Thanks!
NYGrufus
Will this recipe work with thin sliced chicken breast? If so, how should I adjust the cooking time?
Thank you
DrDan
Hummmm…
I don’t think so. Before the coating cooks, the chicken will probably be way over cooked. I have done this relatively small chicken breast (8 oz) but they were not extra thin. They only took about 35 minutes (going on memory here).
Dan
S. Yamada
Yes, it does work with thin breast meat. In fact, I pounded the chicken breasts to obtain a more uniform thickness. I also used a rack to eliminate the need to flip the chicken during the cooking process. To ensure moist chicken, you can also brine the meat for 30-45 minutes prior to baking it. 1/2 inch thickness required about 30 minutes baking time, but I gauged doneness by internal temperature (165 F).
Alisha Moore
Yum, this Parmesan Baked Chicken Breast is so good! I couldn’t use the Italian bread crumbs. This is very simple but a great change from plain baked chicken and you are is the best. So super easy and authentic tasting. No need to look no more, my search is over. Thank you so much for a faultless recipe!
https://simplydesigning.porch.com/bbq-chicken/
Jen
Anyone try this with sour cream? Currently out of mayo and really would like to try the recipe.
DrDan
Hi Jen,
Welcome to the blog.
I have my doubts that sour cream would work well but you could try. If you do, please report back
Dan
Deb
This was a big hit for me and my husband. I tried it because I have used a similar topping in the past on cod and salmon to rave reviews. This was very simple but a great change from plain baked chicken. Thanks!
DrDan
Hi Deb,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love this recipe. But I do love simple and tasty.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Alice Herring
Cooked tonight minus the bread crumbs and was well received. Any thoughts on how to get it crispier? Higher temperature?
DrDan
Hi Alice,
Welcome to the blog.
It is not going to crisp without the bread crumbs. That is why they are there. If you increase the temperature, the outside probably will burn before the inside reaches a safe 165 degrees.
If you are against the bread crumbs, you could add some more parmesan on top or other cheese but I’m not sure how that would go.
Dan
Mar
Delicious my husband loves it while he was eating this tasty chicken he couldn’t stop talking about how moist and flavorful it was and if I could add this to our favorites list thanks for this wonderful recipe
DrDan
Hi Mar,
Welcome to the blog. Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Pamela Taylor
Dr. Dan, your version of this recipe is by far the best. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now. I’ll try the flip next time, but really haven’t had much of a problem. Thanks for all the great recipes and the doggie pictures! Keep ’em coming.
DrDan
Hi Pamela,
Molly and Lilly say thanks.
I rarely will change a recipe but always will note it and why. I don’t feel the flip hurts unless you knock off coating with tongs (Having done that…). Enough commenters were having the same issue and this should fix that.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Heatlover1717
Wonderful! I’ve been looking at this type of recipe from different sources – so glad to see your version and can’t wait to try it!
cheryl
I’ll try yours soon. Here’s one I’ve made many times.
Chicken Dijon Pronto for 2 people
Ingredients
¼ cup dry, herb-seasoned breadcrumbs or Panko, adding thyme
¼ cup lightly packed grated parmesan cheese
1/12 c. melted butter
1 garlic cloves minced, and grated lemon zest
⅙ c. Dijon mustard
¾ Tbsp. white wine
2 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
Preparation Steps
1. Combine crumbs, cheese, garlic and butter on large piece of foil or dish. In another dish combine wine and mustard. Coat the chicken in mustard mixture, then dip the rounded side of each breast in the crumb mixture. Set crumb side up slightly apart in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake in 450 degree oven about 20 minutes, or until top is golden and chicken done through.
2. 1/4 recipe: (1/4) cup dry, herb-seasoned breadcrumbs or Panko, adding thyme (1/4)cup lightly packed grated parmesan cheese (2T) c. melted butter (2) garlic cloves minced, and grated lemon zest (3T) c. Dijon mustard (2 tsp) Tbsp. white wine (2) boned, skinned chicken breast halves
Cj
Doesn’t say to turn midway but mine was soggy on downward facing side. I used the grate. I used Slap your mama to break up the bland. Ok is the best I can say.
DrDan
Hi CJ,
Welcome to the blog and sorry it didn’t work well for you. I was rewriting this recipe post for tomorrow already so I have added a flip in the middle as an option. A few others have had issues also.
________________
I’m adding a suggest flip of the chicken half way through the cooking. Some (not me nor many others) are having problems with soggy bottom. A couple of possibilities occur to me. First, previously frozen chicken or older chicken can release more fluid. Also, too much or thinner mayo could be contribute.
Either way, the flip should help and won’t hurt. Use a fork for the flip. Tongs may remove some coating.
_____________
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Elaine
Delicious chicken! My kids love spicy so I use half mayo and half Sriracha mustard. Yum!
DrDan
Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the blog. This is an unusual combo but glad it works for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
N. Johnson
OMG…I tried this with every ingrediant and the baking racks. Absolutely “AWSOME”. Quick, simple and extremely tasty. Making more this weekend…simply delicious…I love it!
Julie
Making this now. The only thing I would change is to use half the parm in the Mayo batter then half later to sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Another Cooking Dad
I had only about one-half of the required parmesan cheese so I rummaged around the fridge and found some seasoned crumbled feta and substituted that for the remainder. It really made an EXCELLENT addition. I will always use some feta when making this dish (I wouldn’t suggest using more than 1/4 cup though, as the sharp flavor might be overpowering). With a couple of gluten-free eaters, I couldn’t use the Italian bread crumbs. Not being able to locate any Panko in the cupboard, I sprinkled on some corn flake crumbs to get a little crunch. This is clearly one of those fun recipies where some substitution and creativity won’t run the meal.
BTW, the whole family (even our finicky 13-year-old) loves it. This recipe has won a spot in my coveted ‘Favorite Recipe’ bookmark folder.
Chris
I used miracle whip and it was an absolute orgasm in my mouth.
Meghan
Yum! Made this tonight for the family, and it was delicious! I cut my chicken breasts into halves and used the rack from my toaster oven over a cookie sheet. It baked perfectly crisp. Definitely going into my regular menu rotation!
DrDan
Hi Meghan,
The rack does make this recipe. I have rack of every size for my sheet pans.
Glad it worked well for you and thanks for the note.
Dan
Kasey Ng
I just finished making this recipe tonight. This was the first time I’ve cooked a homecooked meal, and I am SO glad I chose this chicken recipe. As with everyone else, my boyfriend and I hate Mayo. I trusted what everyone said about not tasting it, but my boyfriend was skeptical. I’ve never seen him so happy :) Thank you a million times Dan!!! If it’s okay with you, this will be going in my personal cookbook!
Savannah Magowan
If you hate mayo, please don’t let this recipe turn you off! Half of my family hates mayo and I made this without telling them about the mayo and everyone wanted seconds! Only after they ate it did I tell them and they don’t believe me. Try it out, you won’t be sorry.
Maureen Kmieciak
I wish I went with my gut and made half of the mayo coating. Why use 1 cup of mayo for a light coating when I can use 1/2 a cup and save waste. They are in the oven now. Hope they live up to the hype.
Sue K
I made this last night. I did use Miracle Whip because that is what I had. While the chicken was good and moist, I felt that the chicken was pretty bland. I would have liked to have a little more crisp on it as well. So for a base recipe this is good. I will add more spices, maybe some paprika, more pepper and seasoning salt for starters. I put garlic salt on them when I ate them which amped them up a little.
Amy
This is a family fav – juicy and tender every time without standing at the range all night. A delicious substitution we use is Chosen Foods Avacado mayo. You’d never know the difference and so much better for you!
DrDan
Hi Amy,
First, sorry for the delayed reply.
I like the idea, I will pick some of that up.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Mitsuko sato
I’ve made the recipe from Hellmann’s/best foods. (It’s basically just mayo, Parmesan, and Italian bread crumbs piled on top of the chicken breast and then baked). I figured this recipe had to be better, since it had the mayo mixture on both sides and extra spices and utilized a rack. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The rack and to double sided coating did not make both sides crisp up. In fact, I would say the bottom side was even more soggy. For reference, I used a rack and hellmanns, best foods mayonnaise, and Panko bread crumbs with Italian seasoning mixed in. I had rather large chicken breasts and an oven without convection, so I baked them in a 400 degree oven for 45minutes. Nonetheless, the bottoms of my breast were grossly soggy-more so than the original recipe I’ve done before (which I used all the same items and did all the same steps, minus coating them on both sides and using a rack). I’m sorry to say, I would not make this recipe again.
Jessica
Making this tonight super excited thank you!
Sweet Bee
Absolute new favorite*
Sweet Bee
Great recipe! Abolished new favorite! I substituted the breadcrumbs for crushed Hot Fries and the flavors were explosive. Looking forward to making this over and over.
Brandi
This is in the oven as we speak, what type of fish would this go on?
DrDan
Assuming you mean wine and got done in by spell check. I like a nice Sauvignon blanc.
Linda L.
This recipe was easy and delicious!! Mayo and chicken go really well together.
DrDan
Hi Linda,
Thanks for the note. It is one of our favorites.
Dan
Justin
Would suggest flipping chicken atleast once even with rack it did not crisp up on bottom it was very soggy
DrDan
Hi Justin,
With the mayo, the coating doesn’t stick the best so if you flip, use a fork and be careful.
Dan
David
Funny I just saw the no mirical wip comment. I have made it 15 times now with it and love it.
DrDan
Hi David,
Thanks for the note and test driving Miricle Whip for us.
Dan
Warrior_mouse
I realized that I bought chicken breast strips. Didn’t have seasoning salt so used some dried savory and basil as substitute. (We try to avoid too much salt) Baked on foil covered baking pan and flipped with tongs carefully about halfway through. Because the chicken pieces were smaller I baked them for less time. Ohhh sooooo goood and moist! Thanks for a delightful new way of cooking chicken breast meat. Mr Rat is kind of a picky eater but rates this at 5 stars :)
DrDan
Hi Warrior_mouse, great handle.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jx
Just baked and cooked mine! I am now a believer and follower of this site! this is officially my new recipe…T
hat cooking rack 👍. Family loved it.
Daphne
I agree that it is easy. However, I have made it twice and it is definitely something I will not make again.
Maybe I am not a chicken breast fan, but the chicken was NOT tender, either time I prepared it. There was not enough coating or wetness to make the chicken interesting. So it was just another big tough chicken breast. Perhaps it would have worked better if the instructions were to flatten the breast to about 3/8″ or less, but they weren’t, and I’m not going to try it again. See next point!
I set my oven to 400F as instructed and the smell and mess in my oven and kitchen were just horrible. Burnt oil smell lasting again the next day. I literally had to clean my oven because of baking this recipe. The smoke wasn’t only near the end of the cooking process, it was from early on, so it wasn’t as if I overcooked the mayonaise mixture.
Laura
Some people just can’t cook
Another Cooking Dad
Hi, Daphne:
Chicken breasts can be tricky to not turn out dry (especially boneless skinless). Whenever I end up with tough and dry chicken breasts the culprit is always overcooking. The trick I’ve learned with any chicken dish is to not let the internal temperature of the meat exceed 170 degrees (F). 165 is the sweet spot. I purchased an inexpensive digital instant-read thermometer and it has made all the difference in my cooking skills.
3/8 inch-thick breasts will definitely require much less cooking time. I’d guess as little as 15 to 20 minutes. I’m also thinking you might want to check the temperature of your oven–it might be running too hot.
Also, the Mayo sauce shouldn’t be placed on the chicken in a thick layer. A very thin layer will do. It sounds like there was so much sauce that it boiled off and spattered all over the inside of your oven.
Give it another try. With some changes in technique my bet is you will create a perfect dish.
Good luck!
Rodney Hobbs
Excellent and extremely easy:)
Kristi Huckabee
This recipe looked so good I had to try it right away. It is in the oven right now with 30 minutes to go. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for an idea of something a little different.
Brandon
Thank you so much for this recipe! I followed it to a tee and it came out amazing. I made it for a second time last night and my wife and children can’t get enough of it.
DrDan
Hi Brandon,
I still do this recipe frequently.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Twila
I replaced the Lawry’s Seasoning Salt with Adobo (because we’re a spanish household lol) and it was absolutely divine.
A good shake up from always making porkchops or ham or our usual chicken recipe.
Served with some Puerto Rican style rice and beans- my gradma’s recipe- and pan fried yucca root with a little olive oil drizzled on top.
Got demands to make more!!
Suzanne
I made this last night and it was so yummy! After I finished getting the chicken ready to go in the oven, I tossed about 3/4 cup of quartered baby bella mushrooms in a tablespoon of the mayo/parm mixture I set aside, then baked them in a little foil boat on the side of my baking rack. Good heavens, the whole thing was ridiculously good!
Larry
Roger that,
Thanks DrDan !
Larry
Will cooking the breasts at 400 for 40 mins be too long? I normally bake them at 400 for 22 mins.
DrDan
Hi Larry,
Exact cooking time varies. The endpoint is a safe internal temperature of 165. If your chicken breast is smaller and thinner plus your oven runs a bit hot, then 22 minutes might be right for you but it seems very short. I have done this recipe with smaller (about 8 oz) breast and they still took a little over 30 minutes in my oven which is right on for temperature.
So to sum up, internal temperature not time is the important number.
Thanks for the note.
Dan