Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable version)

Juicy chicken coated in garlic butter and Parmesan breadcrumbs, baked to crispy golden perfection. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garlic Parmesan Coating

03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ½ cup fine breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - ½ teaspoon paprika
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and minced garlic until well combined.
04 - In a shallow dish, combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, Italian herbs, and paprika.
05 - Dip each chicken breast in garlic butter mixture, coating thoroughly on both sides. Then dredge in Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres.
06 - Place coated chicken breasts on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining garlic butter over the top of each piece.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden, crisp, and internal temperature reaches 165°F when measured with a meat thermometer.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It looks fancy but uses ingredients you probably already have in your fridge.
  • The garlic butter soaks into the coating and keeps everything moist and flavorful.
  • Cleanup is minimal, just one baking sheet and a couple of bowls.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste just as good the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken, moisture is the enemy of a crispy crust.
  • Press the breadcrumb mixture firmly onto the chicken so it does not fall off during baking.
  • Use a meat thermometer to avoid overbaking, dry chicken is sad chicken.
  • Let the chicken rest before cutting, or all the juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate and stay juicy.
  • If the garlic starts to brown too fast in the oven, tent the chicken loosely with foil halfway through baking.
  • Double the garlic butter and save half to drizzle over vegetables or pasta on the side.
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