Buttery Crackers, savory Ranch and Parmesan Cheese blend together to create the most juicy and delicious chicken you’ve ever tasted – This Baked Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken will have everyone will be begging for seconds!
When I first made this Parmesan Ranch Baked Chicken recipe a couple of years ago, I wasn’t planning on posting it because I didn’t know how it would turn out. But after posting a quick pic I snapped with my phone on Instagram, lots of people wanted the recipe. So I went ahead and posted it with that crummy iPhone photo, figuring I’d make it again and get some better shots. That was two and a half years ago and that crummy photo has been pinned nearly 300,000 times!
I shared this photo on Instagram (you’re following me there, right?) and I wasn’t planning to share it on the blog so I didn’t take a decent photo. But several people asked for the recipe, so I figured I better share it!
I used the bag of shredded Parmesan, not the grated in a can stuff, which is what gave that nice crispy texture. I imagine fresh grated would be even more delicious.
My daughter loved this the first time I made it, but my son wasn’t as convinced. In fact, he hated it. This time around however, he must have a more evolved palate because he LOVED it. After he gobbled it down I reminded him that he hated it the first time I’d made it. His response? “I’m in second grade now so my tastebuds have changed.” Touché.
Doesn’t that look delicious. I love what Chef Anne Berell says – “Brown food tastes good!” It’s definitely true here. This chicken is tender and juicy, and the topping is slightly crunchy. I’ve seen a lot of recipes for Parmesan Ranch Chicken, but they all call for dry Ranch seasoning, which is super salty and really gives an overpowering Ranch flavor. Which is fine if that’s what you’re after, but I prefer a subtle Ranch flavor taking a backseat and letting the Parmesan be the star. Enjoy!
This Baked Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe has been updated and reposted from 2013.
Baked Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers about 24 crackers
- 4 ounces Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
Instructions
- In a seal-able plastic bag, gently pound chicken until it's uniform in thickness. Slice breasts in half, if desired.
- In a food processor, pulse together crackers, shredded Parmesan and dried parsley. (alternatively, you could crush the crackers by hand and stir together with the cheese and parsley.
- Spray a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place chicken in the pan and sprinkle with garlic salt.
- Brush chicken evenly with Ranch dressing, then sprinkle cracker mixture on top. Press the cracker mixture into the chicken lightly with your hands.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. If additional browning time is needed, place chicken under the broiler for a couple minutes.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
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For another easy baked chicken recipe we love try this one:
Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
For more easy Baked Chicken recipes, try these:
Hi, do you have the nutritional info for this recipe? Before I started WW, I didn’t really care what it was. But this is one of my favorite recipes and I’d like to make it work with my points. Thank you 🙂
Hi April, Unfortunately since I am not a nutritionist I am not always able to provide nutritional information for each recipe. However there are great sites out there, like myfitnesspal.com, that can help.