The sight of a big platter of golden, crispy chicken is usually enough to make everybody come running to the kitchen. This recipe for crispy, oven-baked, Parmesan chicken has been in my queue of recipes to post on the blog for sometime and it is finally the time to share it with you. This is a perfect recipe for busy weeknight dinners!
As inspiration, I wanted to make a lighter version of the deep-fried chicken fingers found just about everywhere these days, which did not involve massive amounts of oil, but was still delicious and deeply satisfying. The secret for moist, oven-baked chicken is a hot oven, a short baking time, and, a generous coating so that the chicken does not dry out. Smaller pieces of chicken, such as tenders or chicken cutlets, are therefore good options for this recipe.
This delicious oven-baked Parmesan chicken goes so well with a cool, buttermilk-based dipping sauce, which can be made ahead of time. A year ago, I posted another recipe for chicken tenders with honey-mustard sauce, which you might want to check out and compare to this one. Serve this chicken along side some roasted vegetables, or, on top of a big green salad for a meal that the whole family will love, and watch it disappear before your very eyes!
- Oven-baked Parmesan Chicken
- 3 TBSP. Dijon mustard
- 1 TBSP. white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts (or chicken tenders)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 TBSP. butter, melted
- Cool Ranch Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup light mayonnaise
- 1 med. clove of garlic, grated on a microplane (or similar grater)
- ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 TBSP. fresh dill, minced
- 2 TBSP. fresh chives, minced
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil and place a rack on it. Spray the rack lightly with oil.
- Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until they are well blended. Cut the chicken into ⅔” thick pieces or strips (or use chicken tenders, which are already about the size you want for this recipe. If you prefer a larger serving size of chicken, you can also butterfly the chicken into two thinner cutlets.). Add the chicken to the bowl and coat well on all sides.
- In a separate, shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and a pinch of black pepper (optional). Mix well and then stir in the melted butter.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken pieces. Move the dredged chicken to the wire rack.
- Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake until the chicken is golden-crisp and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Do not overcook it.
- To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients for the cool Ranch sauce in a small bowl and refrigarate. (The sauce is best if made ahead of time).
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I’ve always wanted to try Parmesan chicken, and I like that this version is oven baked. Will definitely try it!
Thank you Kiki, it is such a simple recipe – I hope you try it!
Yum. Kids will love this. Nice to know the secret about hot oven and short baking time
Yes Kathy, it makes all the difference! Kids of all ages love this!
Marilena,
I prepared these last week with some chicken tenders I happened to have in the freezer –easy peasy and delicious! The leftovers were great the next day in sandwiches, and as a stand-alone snack. I can only imagine how much kids would love these. This will enter the regular menu rotation at our house, along with so many of your recipes! Thank you!!
– Ratatouille
Thank you so much for sharing this! This is such an easy and flavorful recipe, and yes, kids really love it! I am so glad you liked it too! ?