This oven-baked Parmesan Ranch Chicken recipe is an easy and delicious weeknight meal that the whole family will love. In it, chicken breasts are coated in a flavorful mixture of Parmesan cheese, ranch seasoning and garlic powder that is perfect for serving with just about anything.
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Oven Baked Parmesan Chicken
If you’re looking for a new chicken entree for the weeknight dinner rotation, this Ranch Parmesan Chicken recipe is just what you need. It all starts with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded thin. Next, they are coated in a ranch dressing egg wash and tossed in grated Parmesan cheese. The result is tender, juicy chicken breast with a crispy Parmesan crust.
As an added bonus, this recipe takes just a handful of minutes to prep and is pretty darn healthy. It uses simple, wholesome ingredients and is baked, not fried. Because there are no bread crumbs in the crust, it’s even gluten free.
Below, we have given you some of our favorite salads and veggies to serve with this recipe. But, don't forget that leftovers taste amazing tossed into a salad, sandwich, wrap or in pasta.
Serving Suggestions
If you need serving suggestions, here are a few of our favorite dishes to pair with Parmesan Ranch Crusted Chicken:
- Steakhouse Style Baked Potatoes
- Classic Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Green Beans
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Quick Dinner Rolls
Ingredients in Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Chicken - we typically use boneless, skinless chicken breast for ranch Parmesan chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute chicken tenders or chicken thighs. Just be sure to trim any excess tendons and fat before coating, no matter which cut of meat you use.
- Parmesan Cheese - you will want to use freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese for this recipe. The powdery kind from the can will not create the same sort of crust.
- Eggs - any kind of eggs will work for this recipe.
- Water - we add this to help thin down the egg wash so that there won’t be any large pieces of egg in the mixture.
- Ranch Seasoning - you can purchase ranch seasoning mix or make your own Homemade Ranch Dressing mix. Also, Italian seasoning would be a delicious substitute.
- Garlic Powder - this adds an extra boost of garlic flavor to what is already found in the ranch seasoning.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Chicken Ranch Parmesan
- Pound the chicken. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Next, use the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pound your chicken to be ¾"-1" thick.
- Dip chicken in egg wash. Place the grated Parmesan cheese into a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, ranch seasoning, and garlic powder. One at a time, dip your pounded chicken into the egg wash mixture, making sure to cover both sides of the chicken.
- Cover in Parmesan cheese. Shake to remove excess egg mixture, then press the chicken into the grated Parmesan, making sure to cover all sides. Lay the Parmesan ranch crusted chicken breast into a 9" x 13" baking dish that has been slightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. on a digital thermometer.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to know is to use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. If you don’t have a meat or digital thermometer, you can also check by cutting a piece of chicken in half and making sure that the meat is white throughout and that the juices run clear.
For a main course baked chicken dish like this, I like to plan on preparing about 6 ounces of uncooked chicken per person. Adults may eat a little more while the little kids may eat a little less but I have found 6 ounces to be a good overall estimate.
This Parmesan Ranch Chicken recipe will take between 45-60 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. Of course, the cooking time depends on the size of your chicken breasts, how many you bake at once and even your particular oven. Therefore the very best way to ensure that your meat is cooked perfectly is to use a meat thermometer.
One of the keys to tender, juicy chicken is to make sure your meat is a consistent thickness so that you don’t overcook parts of it. This is why this recipe calls for pounding the chicken to an even thickness of about ¾-1”.
The other way to make sure you keep your chicken tender is to keep an eye on the temperature and do not overcook it. Once it reaches 165 degrees, pull it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: store leftover Parmesan Ranch Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: warm on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Parmesan Ranch Crusted Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan Cheese grated
- 3 large Eggs
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 1 Tablespoon Ranch Seasoning Mix
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pound your chicken to be ¾"-1" thick.
- Place the grated Parmesan cheese into a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, ranch seasoning, and garlic powder. Dip your pounded chicken, one at a time, into the egg wash mixture, making sure to cover both sides of the chicken.
- Shake to remove excess egg mixture, then press the chicken into the grated Parmesan, making sure to cover all sides.
- Lay the Parmesan ranch crusted chicken breast into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish and repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More of Our Favorite Oven-Baked Chicken Recipes
- Honey Soy Drumsticks
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Simple Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Flamin Hot Cheeto Chicken Tenders
- Cornflake Chicken
- 3 Citrus Chicken Marinade
- Garlic and Herb Drumsticks
- Classic Chicken Parmesan
- More Easy Chicken Recipes
- More Dinner Ideas
- Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Shells
This Parmesan Ranch Chicken is tender, juicy and flavorful with a crusty exterior. It takes just minutes to prepare and goes well with just about any pasta, salad or veggie side dish.
Christina
So much flavor and so easy to make!