Parmesan Ranch Chicken

This Parmesan ranch chicken is coated in a Parmesan cheese, dry ranch dressing bread crumb mixture then baked in the oven until tender.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
½ cup panko bread crumbs *see notes
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons dry ranch dressing
¼ cup unsalted butter , melted
Fresh parsley , for serving (optional)
Lemon slices , for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, pound the 4 chicken breasts to an even thickness.
In a shallow bowl, stir 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/3 cup parmesan, and 2 Tablespoons ranch seasoning. Dip each piece chicken in 1/4 cup melted butter, and then roll in crumb mixture to coat. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through the center. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon slices, if desired.

Notes

Slice chicken in half. If the chicken breasts are too thick, 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.

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!

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.

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.

Breadcrumbs: If you don't have any on hand, use leftover bread to make your own homemade breadcrumbs. You can also use crushed tortilla chips or cornflakes.

Nutrition