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Baked Ranch Chicken

Baked ranch chicken with a crispy golden ranch and Parmesan crust—deeply seasoned and fragrant, then bronzed until crackly. This easy baked chicken method bakes juicy chicken breasts under a crunchy ranch-Parmesan topping for a weeknight-ready ranch chicken dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Ranch topping
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Fresh chives or parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking dish so the chicken won’t stick.
  2. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, then place the chicken breasts in the prepared dish.
Build the ranch-Parmesan crust
  1. Mix the mayonnaise with the ranch seasoning mix until combined.
  2. Spread the mayonnaise-ranch mixture generously over the top of each chicken breast.
  3. Combine the Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, then press the mixture over the mayonnaise-coated chicken so it clings.
Bake
  1. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 400°F until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, with a visible bronzed crackle on top.
  2. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chives or parsley, then serve immediately while the crust stays crisp.

Notes

For the crispiest topping, press the Parmesan-panko mixture firmly into the mayonnaise so it won’t slide off during baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat at 400°F until warmed through, though the crust will soften. Freezing is not recommended because the breadcrumb topping loses crunch. For a lower-fat swap, use light mayonnaise and reduced-fat Parmesan.