Mayo Parmesan Chicken is an internet classic — often called Melt in Your Mouth Chicken. It’s made by coating chicken breasts with seasoned mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese, then baking until juicy and tender.
I added a light sprinkle of Panko for gentle crunch and golden edges without turning this into breaded chicken — a small upgrade that makes this version stand out.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🧾 TL;DR (Quick Answer Box)
- 🐓 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Overview: How to Make Mayo Parmesan Chicken
- ⏱️ How Long to Bake Mayo Parmesan Chicken
- 🐓 Ingredient Options and Variations
- 👨🍳 Troubleshooting: Mayo Chicken Coating Tips
- 🍴 Serving Suggestions
- ❄️ Storage and Reheating
- 🍽 Related Chicken Breast Recipes
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Katherine:
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"This recipe has been a go-to since you first posted it. Comes out melt-in-your-mouth perfect every time!"
🧾 TL;DR (Quick Answer Box)
What is it: Mayo Parmesan Chicken is baked chicken breast coated with seasoned mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese for a juicy, tender result.
Why you’ll love it: Creamy, cheesy comfort food with a light Panko crunch — beginner-friendly and ready in under an hour.
How to make it: Mix mayo, Parmesan, and seasonings; coat the chicken; sprinkle lightly with Panko; and bake until tender and lightly crisp.
Jump to the Recipe Card or continue reading for step-by-step photos, tips, and flavor options.
🐓 Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless, about ¾ inch thick. Pound to an even thickness for consistent cooking.
- Mayonnaise – Real mayo (not light or fat-free). Keeps the chicken moist and helps the coating stick.
- Parmesan cheese – Grated or shredded, your choice. It adds that salty, cheesy flavor that makes this recipe work.
- Panko breadcrumbs (optional but recommended) – Adds light crunch and golden color without turning it into breaded chicken.
- Seasoning – Garlic powder, seasoning salt (like Lawry’s), and black pepper. Simple, balanced, and classic.
👨🍳 Overview: How to Make Mayo Parmesan Chicken
1. Trim and pound chicken breasts to about ¾ inch thick. Pat completely dry.
✅ Pro Tip: For safety, cover the chicken with plastic wrap or place it in a food storage bag before pounding to avoid splatter.
2. Mix the coating: mayonnaise, Parmesan (shredded or grated), and seasonings.
3. Coat chicken lightly with the mayo mixture and place on a prepared tray.
Optional: Sprinkle both sides with a little Italian Panko for extra crunch.
4. Bake at 375°F convection (400°F regular) until the internal temperature reaches 165°F — about 40 minutes, measured in the thickest part per USDA guidelines.
📌For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏱️ How Long to Bake Mayo Parmesan Chicken
Bake at 375°F convection (400°F regular) for about 35–40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Time is only a guide—always check doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
Thinner pieces may finish closer to 25–30 minutes, and thicker ones may need up to 45 minutes.
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🐓 Ingredient Options and Variations
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless breasts are standard, but thighs, tenders, or cutlets work—just adjust the cooking time.
- Mayonnaise: Use real mayo for the best flavor. Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, or sour cream can substitute.
- Cheese: Parmesan is classic; Romano or Asiago are easy swaps.
- Breadcrumbs: Italian Panko adds light crunch without heavy breading; other flavored varieties may be used.
- Seasoning: Start with seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add paprika or cayenne for extra kick.
👨🍳 Troubleshooting: Mayo Chicken Coating Tips
- Start dry: Moisture keeps the coating from sticking. Pat chicken completely dry before coating.
- Use real mayo: Low-fat versions are watery and slide off instead of crisping.
- Thin layer: Too much mayo slides off; a light coat stays put.
- Thawed chicken only: Frozen spots cause soggy coating.
- Flip gently: A fork works better than tongs to keep the crust intact.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Pair with simple sides like rice, noodles, or roasted potatoes, plus a green vegetable such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus. Leftovers are great sliced over salad or tucked into a sandwich.
Try it with:
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer. The coating will soften a bit after storing.
Reheat in a convection oven or air fryer for the best texture; the microwave works in a pinch but you loss crispiness and the chicken texture may suffer.
🍽 Related Chicken Breast Recipes
If you liked these baked mayo chicken breasts, try one of these easy favorites:
❓ FAQs
Yes, once halfway through helps the bottom stay crisp—especially if you’re not using a rack.
Yes. Bake directly on foil sprayed with cooking spray, but flip halfway with a fork for the best texture.
Optional. Even a quick 15-minute brine (2 cups water + 1 tablespoon salt) can make it extra juicy. Rinse, pat dry, and skip the seasoning salt if you do. Brine for up to 2 hours maximum for the best texture.
📖The Recipe Card
Mayo Parmesan Chicken (Easy Baked Chicken Breast)
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts trimmed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese—grated or shredded - fresh preferred
- ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt - Lawry’s
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup Italian Panko bread crumbs - Very light coat
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the tray and preheat
- Preheat the oven to 375°F convection or 400°F conventional.
- Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and place a rack on top (optional). Spray with cooking spray.
Prepare chicken breasts
- Trim and pat dry boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If they’re thick, pound to about ¾ inch with a meat mallet for even cooking. For safety, cover the chicken with plastic wrap or place it in a food storage bag before pounding to avoid splatter.
Prepare the coating
- In a bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded or grated preferred), ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt (I used Lawry's), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Apply mayonnaise coating and breadcrumbs
- Pat the chicken breasts dry again. Lightly coat all sides with the mayo mixture, then place on the tray.
- Sprinkle both sides with Italian Panko. You are not breading them, just adding some crispy flavor (about ¼ cup for two breasts).
Bake the chicken
- Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. At around 20 minutes, you can flip the breasts with a fork to help keep the bottom from getting soggy. Depending on the size, the total cooking time is about 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use breasts of similar size and thickness. Flatten to ¾ inch if needed.
- Pat the chicken dry—really dry—before coating.
- Keep both the mayo and breadcrumb layers light.
- Flipping is optional, but it helps keep the bottom from getting soggy.
- Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese may be used instead of mayonnaise.
- Common problems: Not drying enough, too much coating, too many bread crumbs, cheap mayonnaise, and previously frozen chicken will release more fluid.
- Cook to the final internal temperature of 165°. If using chicken thighs, cook to an internal temperature of 180°F for tenderness.
- Store for 4 days refrigerated or 4 months frozen—reheat in a convection oven or air fryer to revive some crunch.
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 December 12, 2012.
Cj says
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 says
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 says
Delicious chicken! My kids love spicy so I use half mayo and half Sriracha mustard. Yum!
DrDan says
Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the blog. This is an unusual combo but glad it works for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
N. Johnson says
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 says
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 says
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 says
I used miracle whip and it was an absolute orgasm in my mouth.
Meghan says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Making this tonight super excited thank you!
Sweet Bee says
Absolute new favorite*
Sweet Bee says
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.