Baked Ranch Chicken Recipe
If you love ranch dressing and you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner, this baked ranch chicken recipe from recipe developer and food photographer Christina Musgrave should be right up your alley. There's no denying that ranch dressing — and, by proxy, ranch dressing packets — is an iconic American staple. It's more than a salad dressing; it's a condiment, it's a chip flavor, and it's a dip. Ranch belongs on pizza, and it can also zest up your chicken, thanks to those dry seasoning packets that manage to capture that ranch flavor perfectly.
"I like how easy this recipe is," Musgrave says. "It can be prepped in a few minutes, and you can prepare the rest of your dinner while it bakes." You only need a handful of ingredients, less than an hour, and the desire to eat some delicious baked ranch chicken, and who doesn't have that desire? This recipe is a great way to dress up otherwise boring chicken breasts, so let's get right into it.
Gather your ingredients for baked ranch chicken
To make this baked ranch chicken, you'll need 4 thinly sliced chicken breasts, 1 packet of ranch dressing, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, a dash of salt and pepper, and 1 cup of breadcrumbs. You'll also need Greek yogurt, a slightly unusual ingredient in a baked chicken recipe. Feel free to use whole milk or fat free Greek yogurt — according to Musgrave it shouldn't make a difference. "It binds the chicken to the breadcrumb and ranch seasoning mixture and is a great healthy option," Musgrave says.
Make the seasoning mix
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Next, mix the ranch seasoning, salt and pepper, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.
Prepare the chicken
Dredge the chicken in the Greek yogurt, and then dip the yogurt-covered chicken into the seasoning mixture until each piece is fully coated. Place the coated chicken pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking dish or sheet. Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165 F.
Serve and store the chicken
Once the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature, it is ready to serve! Musgrave recommends serving this baked ranch chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli. "This is great for a weeknight dinner or an excellent option for meal prepped lunches," she says. This dish should last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and longer in the freezer.
- 4 thinly-sliced chicken breasts
- 1(1-ounce) packet ranch dressing mix
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Combine the ranch dressing mix, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Dredge the chicken breast pieces in Greek yogurt, then dip them in the breadcrumb mixture until they are fully coated.
- Place the chicken in a lined baking dish or baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
| Calories per Serving | 592 |
| Total Fat | 19.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 225.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 23.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 4.8 g |
| Sodium | 925.2 mg |
| Protein | 76.9 g |
