Mayo Parmesan Chicken is an internet classic—often called Melt in Your Mouth Chicken. Coat chicken breasts with seasoned mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese, then bake until juicy and tender.
I add a light sprinkle of Panko for golden edges and a little crunch without turning it into breaded chicken.
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- 🧾 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- 🐓 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: Baked Chicken Breasts with Mayo and Parmesan
- ⏱️ How Long to Bake Mayo Parmesan Chicken
- 🐓 Ingredient Options and Variations
- 👨🍳 Troubleshooting the Mayo Coating
- 🍴 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 — Recipe Summary
- What: Baked chicken breasts coated with seasoned mayo and Parmesan, with a light Panko topping.
- Why: The coating keeps the chicken juicy; Panko adds golden edges and a little crunch.
- How: Coat the chicken, sprinkle with Panko, and bake at 400°F (375°F convection) until it reaches 165°F internally—about 35–40 minutes.
🐓 Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Boneless and skinless. Pound to an even thickness for consistent cooking.
- Mayonnaise: Use regular mayo; light or fat-free versions can make the coating watery.
- Parmesan cheese: Grated or shredded both work.
- Panko breadcrumbs: For a little crunch.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s), and black pepper.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Baked Chicken Breasts with Mayo and Parmesan
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 the chicken lightly with the mayo mixture and place it on a prepared tray. Sprinkle both sides with a little Italian Panko breadcrumbs 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 full instructions and amounts, see the printable recipe card below.
⏱️ How Long to Bake Mayo Parmesan Chicken
Bake at 400°F (375°F convection) for about 35–40 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Thin breasts may take 25–30 minutes; thick ones may take up to 45 minutes. Use a thermometer—the thickness matters more than the clock.
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🐓 Ingredient Options and Variations
- Chicken: Boneless thighs, tenders, or cutlets also work. Adjust the baking time and cook to 165°F.
- Mayo: Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, or sour cream can be used, but the coating and flavor will differ.
- Cheese: Romano or Asiago can replace Parmesan.
- Breadcrumbs: Use plain Panko if you don’t have Italian Panko.
- Seasoning: Add paprika or cayenne if you want a little heat.
👨🍳 Troubleshooting the Mayo Coating
- Coating slides off: Pat the chicken dry and use a thin, even layer of the mayo mixture. A thick coating tends to slip.
- Topping is soggy: Thaw the chicken completely before coating it, and use a light sprinkle of Panko.
- Crust sticks when turning: Lift gently with a fork to avoid pulling off the coating.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Serve with rice, noodles, or roasted potatoes and a green vegetable. Leftovers are good sliced over a 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 Panko topping will soften during storage.
Reheat in a convection oven or air fryer to bring back some crunch. The microwave works, but the topping will stay soft.
🍽 Related Chicken Breast Recipes
❓ FAQs
A rack helps the bottom stay crisp. Without one, bake on foil sprayed with cooking spray and gently flip the chicken halfway through with a fork near the edge of the breast.
It’s optional. For a quick brine, soak for 15 minutes in 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Rinse, pat dry, and skip the seasoning salt. Don’t brine longer than 2 hours.
📖The Recipe Card
Baked Mayo Parmesan 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 or similar
- 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. Halfway through baking, gently flip the chicken with a fork near the edge of the breast. Flip if baking without a rack; with a rack, flipping is optional. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
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 if using a rack, but it helps keep the bottom from getting soggy.
- You can use Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, or sour cream instead of mayonnaise.
- Common problems: Wet chicken, too much mayo mixture or Panko, and previously frozen chicken releasing extra moisture can leave the topping soggy.
- 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. Updated with refreshed photos, added options, and edited for better navigation.
Shell says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Hi Samantha,
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks for the report and suggestion for another cooking method.
Dan
Joni says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 (deleted).
kimberlee says
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 says
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 says
Will this recipe work with thin sliced chicken breast? If so, how should I adjust the cooking time?
Thank you
DrDan says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Anyone try this with sour cream? Currently out of mayo and really would like to try the recipe.
DrDan says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Cooked tonight minus the bread crumbs and was well received. Any thoughts on how to get it crispier? Higher temperature?
DrDan says
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 says
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 says
Hi Mar,
Welcome to the blog. Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Pamela Taylor says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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