Parmesan Ranch Chicken

This parmesan ranch chicken is a great weeknight meal that’s made with just 5 simple ingredients. Perfectly crispy, tender and flavorful every time!

Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This parmesan ranch chicken is one of our family favorites! The chicken is baked to perfection and comes out super tender every time. Plus it has amazing flavor and a deliciously crispy coating. Yum!

The best part about this dish is that it’s made with just 5 simple ingredients. It’s so easy to whip up and is perfect for busy weeknights. We love to serve it over rice with green beans, however there are so many sides that would taste delicious!

5 Simple Ingredients

1. Crusting: For the crusting on the meat, you can use panko or breadcrumbs. You can also use crushed Ritz, tortilla chips or corn flakes for a twist.
2. Parmesan cheese: I like the texture that grated parmesan cheese adds, however feel free to use shredded parmesan as well.
3. Dry ranch dressing: Make sure to use a packet of the dry ranch dressing mix instead of the creamy dressing in a bottle.
4. Butter: I use unsalted butter vs. salted butter in this recipe because the ranch dressing mix  already has salt in it.
5. Chicken: I used 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You could use tenders as well, but you may need to adjust cooking time.

Cooking Tips

• Slice chicken in half. Chicken breasts can be a bit thick, so it helps to slice each breast in half to make two chicken cutlets. The meat will cook quicker and more evenly in the oven this way.
• Coat well. Dip the chicken in butter first, so that the coating will stick to the meat. You want all sides of the meat to be completely covered in the crumb mixture. It gives it that nice, crusty exterior.
• Broil. For an extra crispy crust, broil for a minute or so at the end of cooking. Make sure to keep a close eye on it, you don’t want the crust to burn!
• Let rest. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. This keeps the meat nice and juicy, as well as makes it easier for the crust to remain intact while slicing.

What to Serve With Parmesan Ranch Chicken

• Rice: brown, white or rice pilaf
• Vegetables: green beans, broccoli, asparagus, mixed veggies
• Potatoes: baked potato, potato wedges, sweet potato fries, roasted red potatoes
• Salad: chopped salad or wedge salad
• Bread: rolls, french bread, garlic bread or breadsticks

Other Easy Dinner Ideas:

• Crockpot Italian Chicken
• Baked Chicken Tenders
• Crockpot Hawaiian Haystacks
• Baked Lemon Chicken
• Chicken and Rice Casserole

Enjoy!