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.
Maureen says
This is my favorite recipe! So very good and so easy to make. Delicious.
Becky says
I’m curious about the carb count. I’ve made without the breadcrumbs before and there’s not really any carbs in it. I don’t believe there’s 22 carbs in the full 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Becky,
Good eye. The nutrition calculations are done by a plugin and I just replaced it this morning (they calculate only once when published). I ran it again and go a more reasonable 13. About half from the bread crumbs and half from the mayo. And only a few from other things. A different brand mayo may be less. These are estimates based on all the ingredients being used. In reality only about half the mayo gets used and you control the bread crumbs.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for note.
Dan
Vickie Donovan says
I have made this using Panko pork rind crumbs! Delicious!
Sybil says
I made this tonight. I didn’t deviate from your recipe. It was moist and delicious! Thank you!
Jill M says
Hi:
This turned out great; very juicy and tender. It didn’t have the nice golden brown volir but was pretty much perfect. Thanks.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jill,
Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I have two convection ovens. One will brown wonderfully, the other not nearly as good only on the browning. The cooking times are identical and both measure to be accurate on temperature. Guess which one I use for blog pictures.
Don't be afraid to hit something with a bit of broiler if your oven is like my #2.
Dan
Angie says
Dr. Dan,
I'm making this tonight! This sounds too easy! I'm trying Asiago/Parmesan/Romano blend, it's what I had on hand.
Heather says
Hello dan I plan on trying this recipe out tonight. I have everything I need except the Italian bread crumbs. I do have Shake n Bake though, do you think that sprinkling some shake n bake on top would be a good alternative? Thanks in advance dan.
DrDan says
Hi Heather,
Welcome to the blog.
I haven't seen Shake n Bake for years but I believe it is more just fancied up flour for "oven frying" things. So not close to bread crumbs.
You can use non-Italian Panko bread crumbs or make your own by running a slice of bread through a blender the brown in a little oil over medium-high heat.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Brian1960 says
Thanks so much for posting this unbelievably succulent delicious recipe. I am kind of new to cooking and never would have bought boneless skinless chicken breasts until I noticed all the positive reviews. I wouldn’t change a thing it’s perfect! I’m excited to browse and learn even if it’s trial n error. I will be sure to make this for friends and family. They’ll be so impressed.
DrDan says
Hi Brian,
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks for the compliment and glad it worked well for you.
Let me know if you have questions of recipe. I have most well documented with step by step photo that help newer cooks.
Dan
Sarah Gibson says
I am not a big fan of chicken breast due to them always being on the dry side, but I bought a pack of chicken breast the other day they were on sale, and figured I would look online to find a recipe to see if I could find a way to cook them that was good. I found this recipe, and decided to give it a try, and OH MY GOSH!!! I absolutely love how this chicken tastes, and the breasts were so juicy and tender, it was life changing in a chicken cooking way. Next time my family has a big get together I'm going to cook and I'm going to make this. my 4 year old is a very picky eater, and when he tasted it he let out a big "mmmm! Its delicious!!" Haha. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is awesome!!!!!!
DrDan says
Hi Sarah,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love this recipe, simple and reliable. We use it for family meals and semi-special meals.
Glad it worked for you and thanks for the note.
Dan
Dawna says
Hi I was wondering about maybe adding some brown sugar to the mix, just wondering what you think.
DrDan says
Hi Dawna,
Welcome to the blog.
I think a touch of brown sugar would be a great addition. Like all recipes, this is just guidelines. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/so-how-is-recipe-like-pirate-code/
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Joan Diloreto says
I take 1 breast and slice it into 4-6 smaller pieces, then spread mayo mixture on them, top w/crumbs and bake at 425 for about 15 minutes..I use about 1/2 c. mayo, some cheese, sprinkle of Italian seasoning and garlic powder...mix and spread...delicious..
DrDan says
Hi Joan,
Welcome to the blog.
I'm always in favor of for surface area for flavor. Sounds great.
Thanks for the note and variation.
Dan
Gene says
I just made this with an additional 1/2 c shredded cheddar because who doesn't like more cheese! Came out moist and delicious and cant wait to attempt again. I did the flip but will bypass next time as it baked well on the rack. Presentation made me look like a pro.
Sam says
What sidedishes would you pair it with?
DrDan says
Hi Sam,
Welcome to the blog.
Nothing specific. We like the green beans with bacon.https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/baked-bacon-green-beans/ or a side salad.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Shannon says
Wondering if off the shelf parmesan cheese could be used?
DrDan says
Hi Shannon,
Welcome to the blog.
Any parmesan will work. But the better the quality, the better the results.
Dan
Carol Dworkin says
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 says
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 says
Trying this for dinner today. Do I cover the chicken with foil?
DrDan says
Hi Leann.
Welcome to the blog.
Uncovered. We want it to crisp some. The foil will trap moisture and also prolong cooking time.
Dan