Updated September 2026, with separate bake times for whole breasts and cut chicken, and notes on substitutes.
Full of flavor, moist, tender melt in your mouth chicken and best of all, simple to make!
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How can a dish with only 6 ingredients taste SO good?
“This is easy, fast and yummy. My husband, my daughter and I all loved it. I try to find different recipes that please them, and this one was a hit. They even asked if we could have it again next week. I did it like you wrote, except for the cheese I did half cheddar and half fresh grated parmesan, and I used breasts and thighs. It came out so moist and tender.”
June Cutler
Don’t let the simplicity fool you. It’s also outrageously delicious! It’s always good to have a couple quick and easy recipes up your sleeve.
It all started when I was making my meal menu/grocery list for the week, I have a set of “go-to” meals that could be made quickly with minimum effort and planning, but there I was… stuck!
It was definitely a sick day!
Hopefully, chicken is a wonderful starting point for all kinds of easy meals, in addition of mayonnaise, parmesan cheese and a few easy seasonings. With 5 minutes of prep time and around 40 to 45 minutes of baking time, wonderful melt in your mouth chicken was ready.
Anyone who worked with chicken breasts before know that they can be incredibly versatile, yet also incredibly tricky to work with, especially when baked in the oven. Cook them the wrong way and you’ll end up with a dry, rubbery, tough, and flavorless disaster.
But cooked the right way?! We’re talkin’ juicy, tender, flavorful, perfectly baked chicken breasts that you will love.
Melt in your mouth chicken Ingredients:
To make this oven baked melt in your mouth chicken recipe, you will need:
– boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( cut each into 3 large chunks or strips)
– mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt for a healthier option)
– parmesan cheese (or sharp Cheddar, or Asiago)
– seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder
How to make melt in your mouth chicken
Alright, so here’s the secret!
All you do is arrange your chicken breasts in a 9×13 pan, mix the toppings together in a separate bowl, spread it on top, top with additional cheese and bake. And to follow , this simple steps…
Brine/Marinate
I’m telling you, this step is an absolute must for anytime you want to bake chicken breasts in the oven. Brining or marinating chicken is super-easy, it makes your chicken extra juicy, and best of all, it can be effectively done in just 15-20 minutes (or overnight).
Seasoning
Chicken breast is a blank canvas and tastes great with fresh herbs and seasonings as well.
Adding mayo/yogurt helps add in moisture and flavor keeping the meat tender.
Because chicken breasts are white meat, they lack the fat needed to keep the meat moist.
Roast
How long to bake chicken breasts? And what is the correct temperature to bake chicken? As with any chicken recipe, the answer here is yes based on the thickness of the boneless chicken breasts you use.
If your chicken breasts are trimmed thin they will bake faster than a thick chicken breast.
You bake the chicken until the juices run clear, or use a meat thermometer and bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Using a meat thermometer will help ensure your chicken is cooked all the way through without over or under cooking.
★★★★★ 5 Star Review
“I would say, the best chicken recipe I have ever used. The taste is phenomenal and the effort is minimal. Definitely going to be making this again.”
Mark
What Makes This Chicken So Tender
The mayonnaise, and it is doing a job rather than adding a flavour. A boneless breast has almost no fat of its own, which is why it goes from juicy to chalky in about four minutes of extra oven time. Spread a layer of fat over the top and it bastes itself the whole way through.
The parmesan does the other half. It dries out and firms up in the heat, so what starts as a soft white layer finishes as a golden crust that holds everything underneath in place. That is the whole recipe in one sentence, and it is why six ingredients are enough.
Why the Milk Comes Off Before the Chicken Goes In
Because wet chicken steams and dry chicken browns. The soak does its work in the bowl, not in the oven. Once the meat has sat in milk or buttermilk for half an hour, the tenderising is done, and every drop that follows the chicken into the baking dish works against you from that point on.
Milk left in the pan turns to liquid the moment the oven heats it. The chicken sits in that liquid and poaches. The topping never sets into a crust, the pan fills up, and what comes out is pale and swimming rather than golden. Drain the bowl completely and pat every piece dry with paper towels before the mayonnaise mixture goes anywhere near it.
That one step is the difference between the dish in the photograph and a pan of white chicken in milk. It takes thirty seconds.
Reader Tip
“I decided to cook it on a wire rack in the pan and it worked out awesome.”
Rhondamavro
Is the Milk Soak Necessary at All?
No. It helps, but the dish works without it. Most versions of this recipe skip the soak entirely and go straight to the topping.
What the soak buys you is insurance on lean chicken breast, which has very little fat and turns tough the moment it overcooks. Buttermilk is the better of the two because its acidity does more, though plain milk works. Twenty to thirty minutes on the counter is enough, and overnight in the refrigerator is better if you are planning ahead.
If you skip it, still pat the chicken dry. The topping has to stick to the meat, and it will not stick to a wet surface.
Do You Cover It While It Bakes?
No, uncovered the whole time. Foil traps steam directly against the topping, which is the one thing that has to stay dry to brown.
If the chicken is done at 165 F but the top is still pale, that is a browning problem rather than a cooking problem. Slide it under the broiler for a minute or two and watch it, because parmesan goes from golden to burnt very quickly.
Can You Use Something Other Than Mayonnaise?
Yes, and a full cup of mayonnaise is richer than some people want. Half mayonnaise and half sour cream is the middle ground most readers land on, and it still browns properly.
Greek yogurt is the substitute people ask about most, and it is the one that needs care. Yogurt carries more water than mayonnaise, so a thin yogurt will loosen in the heat and separate. Use full fat, thick Greek yogurt, strain it if it looks watery, and expect a tangier and slightly less golden top. Sour cream sits between the two and is the safest swap.
The mayonnaise is not there for flavour so much as for fat. It is what keeps a lean breast moist and what carries the cheese into a crust, which is why the low fat versions of all three ingredients disappoint here. If that combination is the part you like, our Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken is the same idea with garlic in place of the seasoned salt, and it has been on this blog even longer than this one.
Which Seasoning Salt?
Any seasoned salt blend from the spice aisle. Lawry’s is the one most American kitchens have, and it is what this recipe was built around.
If you do not keep one, plain salt with a pinch of paprika and onion powder does the same job. The seasoning goes into the mayonnaise mixture, not directly onto the chicken, so it spreads evenly across the top.
Breasts, Thighs, Tenders or Cutlets
All of them work, and the bake time is what changes. This is where most of the dry chicken comes from.
Whole breasts need 40 to 45 minutes at 375 F. Cut pieces, strips, tenders and thin cutlets need 25 to 30, and giving them the full 45 is what turns them to leather. Boneless thighs take about 35 to 40 and are the most forgiving cut of the lot, which is why several readers now use nothing else. Skin on thighs are worth skinning first so the topping meets the meat. A thermometer in the thickest part reading 165 F settles it better than any clock.
Reader Tip
“We love this recipe, it is a family favourite. I use chicken thighs which I find comes out more tender. I have also done this with shrimp and it was amazing.”
Darby
Why the Top Does Not Always Brown
Three things decide it, and moisture is the first two. Wet chicken, then a covered dish, then cheese that will not brown.
Pre grated parmesan in a shaker is coated with cellulose to stop it caking, and that coating also stops it melting into a proper crust. Grate it from a block and the difference is visible. Beyond that, the broiler is the honest shortcut, one or two minutes at the end with the door cracked and your eyes on it. If you want a crust that browns without any help at all, Crispy Cheddar Chicken gets there with cheddar and crushed crackers instead.
Reader Tip
“I make two pans of this and add mushrooms on top of the raw chicken in one, then spread the mixture over the top. In the other I do it regular, or I add chives or scallions, and serve both flavours. I mess around with different cheeses too, like adding Swiss on the mushrooms. Absolutely delicious just the way it is and very tweakable.”
Pam Rogers
Questions People Ask About Melt In Your Mouth Chicken
Can I double it? Yes, and use two 9×13 dishes rather than one larger one. Crowding a single pan is the other way to end up steaming the chicken instead of baking it.
Can I make it dairy free? The cheese is doing structural work here, so without it you get a mayonnaise glaze rather than a crust. A dairy free parmesan style hard cheese is the closest thing that works. For the soak, unsweetened almond milk is fine.
Can I bake it at a higher temperature with something else in the oven? At 425 F cut pieces need about 18 to 22 minutes and whole breasts about 30, and the top will want watching from the twenty minute mark. Anything above that browns the cheese before the chicken is cooked.
Is it keto friendly? Skip the milk soak and it is, because everything remaining is fat, protein and seasoning. Check the label on your seasoned salt for added sugar.
Do you have the nutrition numbers? Not yet, and we would rather leave them off than publish a guess. It varies a great deal with the cut of chicken and whether you use mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt.
Can I use this topping on something else? Yes. Readers have put it on pork chops and on shrimp, both successfully. Shrimp need eight to ten minutes and nothing more.
Can I make it ahead? Mix the topping up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Do not spread it on raw chicken and leave it, because the salt draws water out of the meat overnight and you are back to a wet pan.
A Note on This Recipe
Same chicken it always was. Same mayonnaise and parmesan topping, same 375 degrees F, same six ingredients.
Updated September 2026. The milk soak was described in the first line of the instructions but was never listed as an ingredient, so people committed to the recipe and then found they needed milk they did not have. It is in the ingredient list now. Nothing told you to drain that milk before baking either, which is why so many pans came out pale and swimming instead of golden, so draining and patting dry is now its own step. The bake time was one number for every cut of chicken, and 45 minutes that suits a whole breast will ruin tenders and cutlets, so whole and cut now have separate times with a temperature to check against. The card now says plainly to bake it uncovered. There are notes on substitutes for the mayonnaise and on what seasoning salt means.
Thank you to Pam Rogers, who told us four years ago to add drain marinade as a step and was right, to Krista, Dianna, Arabella, Inna and T A Belding, who all pointed out that the milk was missing from the list, to Katy P and Angela, who worked out on their own that the chicken had to be patted dry, and to Rhondamavro, who solved it with a wire rack.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
Loaded Baked Chicken Potato Casserole
The same chicken breast turned into the whole dinner. The potatoes are parboiled first, then layered with bacon and cheddar and baked covered, so the dish comes out creamy instead of watery.
The Best Oven Fried Chicken
It starts with the same milk soak as this recipe, then bakes on melted butter at 400 degrees F. You get a crisp coating without a frying pan, and one dish to wash.
Easy Teriyaki Chicken
For the night the family has had enough cheese. The chicken browns in a skillet and the sweet and salty glaze thickens around it, so it is ready while the rice finishes.
Melt in Your Mouth Chicken
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat
- 1 to 2 cups milk or buttermilk for soaking, enough to cover the chicken, drained before baking
- 1 cup mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt for a healthier option)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (or sharp Cheddar, or Asiago) divided
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks or strips, or leave the breasts whole and pound them to an even thickness. Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 to 2 cups of milk or buttermilk, enough to cover it, and let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator. The soak is what tenderizes the meat.
- Drain the milk completely and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Wet chicken steams and dry chicken browns, so none of the marinade should follow the meat into the baking dish.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese and the seasonings.
- Place the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish, spread the mixture evenly over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Bake uncovered, because a lid traps steam and softens the crust.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes if the breasts are whole, or 25 to 30 minutes for cut pieces, strips or cutlets, until the thickest part reaches 165 F. Cut pieces cook much faster than whole breasts, and baking them for the full 45 minutes is what makes the chicken dry. If the topping is still pale, finish it under the broiler for a minute or two.
- Let it rest 5 minutes, then serve. A vegetable like steamed broccoli goes well alongside, with a dash of fresh parsley if you like.
Notes
If your dish came out watery and the chicken steamed instead of browning, the milk marinade went into the oven with the chicken. Drain it and pat the chicken dry. A wire rack set inside the baking dish helps too.
The milk soak is optional. It tenderizes the meat, but the dish works without it and most versions of this recipe skip it entirely. If you skip it, still pat the chicken dry so the topping sticks.
Greek yogurt or sour cream can stand in for some or all of the mayonnaise. Half mayonnaise and half sour cream is a good middle ground if a full cup of mayo is too rich for you.
Seasoning salt means a seasoned salt blend from the spice aisle. Plain salt with a pinch of paprika and onion powder does the same job.
Tried these with chicken thighs because that was all I had. Didnt have to cut them of course because they were already the perfect size. Lowered temp to 350 and adjusted the time a few minutes less and they turned out great!! There were a couple left when I went to bed that I’d planned to put in a salad for my lunch the next day. Ooops!! They turned up missing in the morning when I went to get them. Next time I’ll hide them. Definitely a regular on my meal plans.
Yes, this is a very yummy recipe, the kids said it is “torch”…that has to be good!
Gonna try it!!! Hopefully my son exclamation I “torch” lol
This recipe was way to rich maybe yogurt would be better
Used greek yogurt, pinch of salt and Italian seasoning. Marinated the chicken in buttermilk. Came out great. Son said it was delicious. I loved it myself. Used tenders, next time I’ll use whole breast. Came out crispy and compliments well with zoodles.
I used cutlets too but did not cut into pieces. Used 1 8 oz. Greek yogurt to be healthier. Used Italian seasoning and garlic powder for spices. An ex Ellen recipe! Will make again!
I didn’t soak in batter milk, just thrown in the bowl and mix with all ingredients, hope comes out delicious!!!!
One of the best chicken recipes ever Its the most requested choice for dinner at my house.. It is so delicious , very easy to make and not a lot of fuss. I’ve made this many times and there are never any leftovers. My husband, daughter and her boyfriend love it!!
Thanks! I was wondering about thighs, as that’s all I have. I will use your adjustments. <3
I and my family all prefer thighs, so I was so very happy to see this recipe. Also, I do believe in marinating with buttermilk.. It just makes the meat!
Make sure you take the skin off the thighs. Flavour really gets into the meat then.
I’ve made this twice, once with Mayo and once with the plain yogurt. We loved the yogurt the best. It was delicious. My husband said “remember this one ok.”?
Making them right now will see if I did it right lol
can i mske tbis withoit milk
That is the best chicken I have ever made. Sooooo delicious
This is the second time I have made this dish, and my family and I Love it! I made more Parmesan sauce and place the chicken on a bed of fettuccine noodles. Small plates because it’s really quite rich but we all thoroughly enjoy this Melt in My Mouth Chicken recipe!!
I made this recipe and it was delicious but I didn’t have all the ingredients and I always change and add. I used mayo. And I used a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Also I put in some garlic not powder or salt I never use those ever I always use cloves. Plus I chopped up some onion real fine. The whole conversion was so good. What I had left over I used as a dip oh and because it was in September I had home grown tomatoes and I put those in everything.
This chicken dish was so easy to make and without a bunch of ingredients I wasn’t expecting much. Boy was I wrong. It was delicious and the chicken was unbelievably tender. I will making this a lot!
Delicious!!!!!
Do you think it can be made with Bone in drumsticks and thighs?
This is easy, fast, & yummy. My husband, my daughter, & I, all loved it. I try & find different recipes to try out & that pleases them, lol. This one was a hit. They even asked if we could have it again next week. I did it like you wrote. However, for the cheese, I did half cheddar & half fresh graded parmesean. I also used breasts & thighs. I added a little paprika. It came out so moist & tender. Thank you so much for the awesome recipe. It is a definate keeper in our house❣️
Did you use fresh, grated Parmesan cheese or the bottle, like Kraft?
Hi Barbara, i tried both, and i didn’t notice much difference. Hope it helps and please let me know how it turned out.
NEVER NEVER use Kraft Parmesan cheese in a can for anything. That’s not Parmesan cheese it’s saw dust. The real thing you grate yourself is so much better.
Really? That saying is older than me.
Read the ingredients. There is no saw dust.
However, I would never use it just because it’s crap. There’s only one parmesan cheese, Parmesan Reggian. I suggest buying it by the block and grate yourself. Always save the rind. I freeze them and add them to Red sauce and soups. The quality is much better.
My husband loves that Kraft cheese so I always have both on hand.
My wife loved it.
Are used freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but you can use either
I used the bottle and it was delicious
Please, please answer the question about the Parmesan cheese. Should we use “Kraft” or shredded cheese. Thanks if you do answer us!
How much milk do you soak the chicken in?
Hi Lea, i never measured exactly. It only matters to pour enough milk over to completely cover the chicken. This will need at least 20-30 minutes or a couple of hours to marinate. Hope it helps and please let me know how it turned out.
Do you leave the milk in the tray when you cook the chicken? Or dump out the milk and coat the chicken with the sauce?
How come buttermilk or yogurt isn’t mentioned in the ingredients listed before the instructions?
You are right, Inna, and it should have been in that list from the first day. It is there now, 1 to 2 cups of milk or buttermilk, enough to cover the chicken, with a note that it gets drained before baking. You were not the first to catch it. Thank you for saying it plainly.
in your instructions you state that chicken marinating is a must but I did not see any info on marinating?
Hi Tom, it’s not necessary, but i strongly recommend it. Chicken gets much creamier and tender. Lay the chicken breasts in a shallow bowl or deep dish like a lasagna pan or roaster, then pour enough milk over to completely cover, and cover with wrap. This will need at least 20-30 minutes or a couple of hours to marinate. Hope it helps and please let me know how it turned out.
After the milk marinated do I drain it or cook the milk in it?
Shannon, this sat unanswered far too long and I am sorry. Drain the milk and throw it away. Then pat every piece dry with paper towels before the topping goes on. Wet chicken steams, dry chicken browns, and that one step is the whole difference between the pan in the photo and a pale one. If this is still in your rotation, try it that way once.
Take it out of the milk.
If I want to double the recipe, do I need to use a bigger baking dish? And any other adjustments I need to make?
Sorry for the long wait on this one, Maureen. Double everything, but use two 9×13 dishes rather than one larger pan. Crowding traps steam between the pieces and you lose the crust. The bake time stays exactly the same. Two pans also means one can go straight into the freezer.
I sprayed the pan and maybe shouldn’t have. There was so much juice that the chicken hadn’t cooked Throughly after an hour. I also used sharp cheese. It smells good but it’s been hour and 1/2 now at 375 and after draining the juices and it’s not done yet
Same thing happened tome. Way too much juice and I poured the juices off twice. Should the chicken be dried after removing from the buttermilk? I just let the buttermilk drip off and then transferred to 9 x 13 baking pan.
I was wondering what you think about adding instant rice with cream of chicken soup to this recipe. Maybe cook the chicken then add the chicken breast on the top of the rice mixture and top with remaining cheese bake until rice and cheese has melted?
This recipe is amazing. My son is a little picky, about food textures, and I was apprehensive that he wouldn’t like it. But you don’t even notice the texture – the flavor is phenomenal & the texture came out perfect. I was actually afraid I wouldn’t be able to find this recipe, again, even though it’s super simple, because I wanted to be sure to leave the positive review it’s deserving of!
My chicken breasts did not bake flat in the pan. They raised up into more of a mound of chicken. Still tasted good but should I have pounded them down before baking?
Lynda, You can butterfly the chicken breast if they are thick. To butterfly, cut from the side of the chicken breast so the chicken breast will open like a book. Don’t cut through the otherside.
‘Definitely a keeper. Even my Dad, who loathes chicken, loved it. It took 30 min in convection oven. Buttermilk definitely made the chicken more moist and tender. Yes you must grate your Parmesan- even the pre-grated changes how a recipe works (think Chicken Parmesan with fresh bread crumbs) How we grew up thinking Kraft Parmesan was ok is beyond me. But then we ate Chun Kingin a can, too.
Do we use grated Parmesan in the shaker or shredded Parmesan?
Thanks!
Why did my chicken puff up and not lay flat? Should I have pounded it down a little before baking? This is strange ♀️
Chicken always expands when you cook it. It has something to do with the proteins in the muscle when you cook it. It changes their structure. You can either pound or butterfly it before cooking.
Wish milk would have been in the ingredients 🙁
Agreed! That would have been helpful not everyone looks at the comments!
It is… it’s Buttermilk. Marinate chicken for minimum 30 minutes, but 1 to 2 hours better. Chicken will come out moist and very flavorful.
It’s actually NOT in the ingredients. It’s in the instructions – I believe that’s what Katryna was pointing out.
Question..this recipe tasted great but does anyone know why my chicken puffed up in a mound instead of cooking flat? Should I have used a meat tenderizer to pound down a little before baking?
She stated that if they were thick you should cut them in half and make them thin you could have pound it or sliced thinly
I always slice my chicken breast in half before i marinade them. That seems to help me.
Omg sooo freaking good. This is my second time making this recipe.
This was GREAT! I subbed Mozzarella cuz it was what I had and I served it with green beans and rice.
Amazing. I bought all the listed ingredients and started to get ready to make it when I find out that I need to…i marinate it… in milk or buttermilk. That was not listed in the ingredients. Milk is not kept in stock at my house, only but it for recipes.
It’s my mistake for not reading the instructions as well, I’ve cooked since I was 5, so I was not worried annoy the how, just the what. Sooooo after a couple days I got done and it was fantastic. I think it would be nice to list the “marinade” as well.
Delicious! I tried this on a school night n my family loved it!!!! Hats off to you guys!
5 thumbs up! I rarely review things on the net but this recipe is super simple and Extremely Good. Was tired of the same ole thing, now I did not have any fresh parm cheese used just a few shakes if Kraft along with shredded Italian style. Very Good!
I made this and it was good. I made my own buttermilk and put in the fridge for 3 hours. I also added all the Parmer and then baked it. At the end I sprinkled mote on top also I added crispy bacon and that seemed to add the crunch element
This looks so good. And easy. I like recipes that use tender chicken breasts!! I am going to try it.
Is there any reason you don’t list the ingredients for the marinade in the ingredients list of the recipe?? That would help with making it clear…..
I tried this recipe tonight. I don’t like Parm cheese so instead I used cream cheese and topped it with cheddar. We have a new favourite chicken recipe..
I made this tonight and we loved it. Marinated the chicken for about 3 hours and it was moist and delicious. Served with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob.
We don’t like mayo and substituted Caesar dressing. Did the milk marinade and used extra herbs and garlic. Used real shredded Parmesan cheese. It was terrific. Thank you for sharing.
Huge hit!! I didn’t have the buttermilk to marinade so I used ranch dressing and marinated for almost an hour. The dish came out watery so I decided to add breadcrumbs to the dish and it came out AMAZING!!!
What type/brand of seasoning salt is best used in this recipe? Thanks!
Any seasoned salt blend from the spice aisle will do, Teresa. Lawry’s is what this was built around and what most kitchens here already have. No seasoned salt in the cupboard? Plain salt with a pinch of paprika and onion powder gets you to the same place. One thing worth knowing: it goes into the mayonnaise mixture, not onto the chicken, so it spreads evenly across the top.
I made this last night and have to send the recipe to everyone I know, it was that good!
I marinated the chicken breast in plain Greek yogurt.
I was able to cut way back on the Mayo this way.
Added a few drops of Worcestershire & hot sauce to my mayo & parmigiana topping .
This recipe used to be on the jar of mayo. It doesn’t say anything about being marinaded. My husband loves it and I do too. Very simple even if you don’t think you can cook!!
The recipe was easy to make and I’m glad I read where I needed milk. Overall, my chicken was delicious. Next time I make it, I will use 2%i milk or unsweetened almond milk for marinating. And, I will use less salt becauset was a little to salty me. I’ve never bake chicken breasts in the oven because the chicken would be dry. Guess what? I used my broiler for the first time. I will definitely make this again with a few modifications.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Incredible. I have also tossed both small potatoes and cut potatoes with the mixture and roasted for surprise dinner guests and they wouldn’t stop talking about how tasty they were. 🙂
Delicious tender chicken. I used half Greek yogurt and half mayonnaise to reduce the fat calories, then followed the recipe. My niece gave it a 10 out of 10! I agree with her!
My family loved it!!
Do you cover the chicken while baking?
Uncovered the whole way, Sharolyn. Foil traps steam right against the topping, and the topping is the one thing that has to stay dry to brown. If the chicken reaches 165 F and the top is still pale, give it a minute or two under the broiler. Stand there while it goes, parmesan turns from golden to burnt in seconds.
This was absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this again. The prep was so easy, and the chicken was moist and flavorful!
Can you use sour cream in place of the mayo or yogurt?
Sour cream is the safest of the three, Emma. Half mayonnaise and half sour cream is where most readers end up when a full cup of mayo feels like too much. Greek yogurt works too, but it has to be the thick full fat kind. A watery yogurt will separate in the oven and you get a curdled mess instead of a crust. Come back and tell me which way you went.
I made this and it was very delicious. It was very simple to make. Would definitely reccomed!
Do you pat the chicken dry after marinating and prior to spreading the mayo mixture on them?
I did! They were so wet, I figured the chicken would end up boiling instead of browning.
Trying this tonight! It smells very delicious already!
Absolutely delicious. I am in the mid of the Covid 9 thing and am not supposed to leave the house. I found mayo, ranch dressing and milk in the fridge, whipped them up, marinated, and how juicy they turned out! Thank you!!!
When cut up as directed, only 3 breasts fit into my 9×13 tray, anyone else have to use a second dish? It also was a bit over cooked with lots of liquid in the bottom. I cut each (large) breast into 3 pieces so I can’t imagine I cut them too small! It was really delicious, just not as great as the picture looked!
Loved it and very easy to put together!
I made this for my family and they LOVED IT! My mom kept going back to the tray after dinner to eat some more. And everyone was fighting over the last piece. I’ve tried a lot of chicken recipes and this was definitely the best. My family also really liked dipping it in Franks buffalo sauce. Seriously, the easiest recipe ever and it was a huge hit. Thank youuu!!
This recipe is delicious. I added about a half tsp of cayenne to the mayo and cheese mix. This chicken really does melt in your mouth. My husband nearly licked his plate. Will definitely make this again
Hello…I make the same chicken but I also add a little pesto sauce to it. It’s amazing!
It was a hit at my house!
Does anyone know if it is okay to reheat for leftovers?
I’m making this dish tomorrow. I will let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck!
Made this today & it is delicious!!!! Highly recommend. I didn’t have any buttermilk, but I made my own with lemon juice and marinated it for about three hours before I cooked it.. It’s really good!!!
This looks really good! I sliced the chicken really thin and pounded them thin. I am soaking then I n milk and a bit of distilled vinigar. I read reviews and am under the impression youtake the chicken out of the milk and place in 9×13 dish and ass the mixture and top with parm cheese. Looks like it’s gonna be tasty. Making it with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Thanks for the recipe!
Maybe I used too much mayonnaise, but these were just OK. I had to drain liquid from the baking dish twice during baking, and my son didn’t eat his at all. I certainly didn’t get the color that you got in the pictures, which was unfortunate because yours look delicious … maybe I’ll try these again with just me and the wife and use less mayonnaise … or maybe not.
I cooked the Melt In Your Mouth Chicken for my family tonight. It was a hit! Delicious!
Do you have a nutrition list for it?
That is the best thing to read, Danny, thank you. No nutrition numbers on this one yet, and I would rather leave them off than publish a guess. It swings a lot depending on the cut of chicken and on whether you use mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt. Running your exact ingredients through a calculator will get you closer than anything I could put on the card.
Add dill and thyme, mix light amount of mayo with yogurt. Really good stuff.. thanks for recipe
Do you cook the chicken uncovered or covered?
I made this for supper tonight and it was delicious! It is definitely a new favourite for my family. There was even a request for me to make it again from my son who is somewhat of a picky eater (of course I didn’t tell him there was a cup of mayo in this recipe lol. He wouldn’t have eaten it).
One modification that I will make next time will be to is use half of the Seasoning Salt. It was too salty for my palate.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe and the great tips that you provided. It lived up to its Mouth Watering Chicken name.
Stay well & Stay safe.
It’s an easy recipe and the result is a very moist, tender & tasty dish.. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Thought it was awesome. My son who is PICKY ate all of his chicken. Only reason I gave 4 stars was because my chicken was also very liquidy I had to dump it like halfway through cooking and again after wards. I guess I’ll just pat it next time? But still a win in my book!
I used grated parmesan cheese in the mixture. I also used mayonnaise made with Olive oil. Put taco blended cheese on top. (It was good I think the sharp cheese wood have been better) Havent said that, IT WAS SOOO DELICIOUS! Definitely making again and again. OH! I did brine the chicken breast for 45mins .
Thanks Cakes Cottage!
I have to admit I have held off making this because of the simplicity of the ingredients. I made it as listed and marinated it in buttermilk for a couple of hours. It was fabulous! Tender, flavorful and juicy. I trusted the reviews which is why I am reviewing! Thank you!
Made with Greek yogurt since my kids do not like mayo. I have a hard time getting the kids to eat chicken and they like this dish. Have made it twice and it has been a hit both times!
I’ve never left a recipe review before but this is well deserving. I added a few breadcrumbs to my mayo mix and used Mexican blend cheese because I knew I wanted to use it for a salad type meal. After it was finished cooking, I cut up the chicken and added some chopped romaine… this may be the best damn “salad” I’ve ever had. This chicken is juicy, easy to make, and delicious!!
This is a simple recipe I’ve made often and works so well on fish too! I often top with lemon slices while it bakes.
I don’t like throwing out marinade, so I always try to incorporate it into the recipe. Can I do this with the buttermilk or substitute it with something? Thanks!
I do not like cheese of any kind…… I know, I know, who doesn’t like cheese! I’ve heard that a million times.
Do you think this would work without the cheese?
Thank you..
You are allowed not to like cheese, Patti, and you are far from alone. Here is the honest answer though. The cheese is doing structural work in this one. It is what sets the mayonnaise into a crust, so without it you get a glaze rather than a topping. The chicken underneath stays just as moist. If you want some of that texture back, stir a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs into the mayonnaise before it goes on.
Way to rich with mayo yogurt might work better I won’t make it again
I love this chicken dish! It is moist and flavorful. I think the combo of garlic and parm cheese puts it over the top.
This is a great recipe. It would probably help if you said “drain marinade” as a step as it seems people are keeping the milk. I make two pans of this snd add tired mushrooms on top of raw chicken in one pan then spread the mixture over the top and in the other pain I do it regular or I add chives or scallions and serve both flavors. I mess around with different cheeses too like adding Swiss on the mushrooms. Absolutely delicious just the way it is and very tweakable!
Very tasty-only used 1/4 tsp of pepper and used half Parmesan and half cheddar. We felt was a bit too salty so will cut salt back next time. A definite keeper
So I tweaked the recipe and used a mixture of Mayo, sour cream and cream cheese instead of just Mayo. Used parm and Monterey Jack cheese and added two sliced green onions. Smeared the goods on the chicken and then sprinkled panko to cover. Kept everything else the same and broiled at the end to crisp the panko. DELISH Recipe to make some boring chicken breasts better.
I would say, the best chicken recipe I have ever used.
The taste is phenomenal and, the effort is minimal. Definitely going to be making this again.
Love this dish! My husband will never eat chicken breasts and he loved it as well. I used half mayo/ half sour cream bc I didn’t have plain yogurt. I also pound the chicken down a bit and half the breasts. I have made this several times before but never got the golden color and finally realized I’ve been adding all of the parmesan in the mix and not adding any on top. This time I grated parm on top before putting in the oven and it turned out as pictured. So delicious.
My daughter loves this chicken! I noticed it’s better when you slice your chicken into halves or quarters. The mixture coats better this way. I also needed to pat dry my chicken.
Excellent tasting and so easy to make. Definitely a hit!
This is our family’s new favorite recipe. My picky family absolutely loves this and it’s pretty simple to put together. Thanks for sharing.
Very good and so easy! Marinated chicken in buttermilk for couple hours first. Will definitely make again. Thank you for recipe
Omg, this is the best chicken recipe I’ve ever made!! It was incredibly easy, and the chicken was to die for!!! I will absolutely be making this again and again! Thank you for sharing!!!
This is delicious. Hubby just went nuts over it. So tender and juicy. Definitely a garlic flavor, which I’m usually not overly crazy about but this recipe is a keeper.
I think this recipe was delicious but after reading prior to cooking that there was to much liquid n they had to dump it I decided to cook it on a wire rack in the pan , it worked out awesome. Maybe that’s what it needed, but outside outstanding easy delicious recipe
First time my family ever made it we didn’t make near enough because it was all gone in less than 15 mins. It was so good in fact my dad drank the grease from the pan and later got sick because of it. He said he didn’t regret it because even the grease tasted absolutely wonderful. This is my absolute favorite recipe too! I try to make it whenever I can!
Wonderfully easy and memorable. I used grated Pecorino straight from Italy…msgnificent.. Deserves a fancy title
Forward receipe to family and friend.s.
Add milk/ buttermilk to ingredient list. I used a cup of heavy cream. Its ehatt I had on hand..
Done, Dianna, and thank you for the nudge. The milk is in the ingredient list now, with the amount. Pecorino straight from Italy is a wonderful call here. It is drier than parmesan, so it browns even harder on top. And heavy cream for the soak is no compromise at all, it is richer than what the recipe asks for.
I make this all of the time. This is by far my families favorite chicken recipe ever!!!! 5 stars all the way
We love this recipe! family favorite! I have it saved in my bookmarks! I use chicken thighs which I find comes out more tender! I’ve also done this with shrimp and it was AMAZING!
Can thighs with the bone in be used ?
It was pretty good. I want to give a shout out to those who mentioned that it would be quite a bit of liquid during the cooking process. I think that’s something everyone should know. My breasts were quite thin and it was still a lot of water. I increased the heat to 400 around the 17 minute mark to help the water evaporate. By 20 minutes, it wasn’t much water to drain, i still left a few tablespoons of that seasoned water in there. By the time it’s finished, it will look like the photo but I still put it in the broiler for exactly 2 minutes. Trust me, at 400° do not go longer than that. For reference, I used 3 chicken breasts that I halved horizontally to make 6 thin breasts.
I really put off making this for a while, but after all the comments, took the plunge. Well. This wasn’t my first chicken dish, but I can say it might be the best I’ve ever made!!!
This was very tasty! My husband absolutely loved it! I used 5 Omaha steak chicken breasts. 3 of them were pretty small. You definitely DO NOT need a full cup of mayo, it was way too much. 3/4 of a cup would have been plenty. I did not marinate them the breasts in anything. I added minced onion and substituted minced garlic
for the garlic powder since I didn’t have any. I paired the chicken breasts with a Caesar salad kit and it was a light, healthy and easy meal. My mother in law makes this using chicken thighs and adds crushed cornflakes to the mixture to make a light breading. I haven’t tried her version yet.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe!!! I’m going to make it tonight but sadly I only have frozen chicken breasts can I still use this recipe just adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
Very good and easy! Added a few extra spices, onion and grated cheese on top I got from a farmers market.
Followed exactly as is, came out great nice and juicy and the Parmesan made it smell and taste heavenly.
Tried this recipe for the first time and it turned out great! Absolutely delicious! This recipe will definitely be a staple in my house for dinners in the future! Thanks!
Cannot wit to make this again… so easy !!
The best ever!!!!!!
Amazing! Used half buttermilk half whole milk for marinade approx 3 hrs. Added some breadcrumbs and butter for a more crispy topping to half the chicken, both versions were very juicy and delicious!! Definitely one of my go to meals! A new family favorite!!!
It is delicious and it’s also very easy to make my question is why does it have so much liquid after it’s cooked ?
A Must Try! This Looks FANTASTIC!
My mom made these in her rotation (that wasn’t even a phrase then) 50 years ago.
And they are a standard go to with me til this day.
So easy, so yummy. Absolutely make.
She used boneless thighs so of course that’s what I use.
Awesome taste and easy to make.
Thank you
I was super excited when I was making the dish. Smothered with mayo and parmesan cheese, the recipe of chicken breasts turned out to be so good. I really cannot describe in words the delighted smile on the face of everyone at the table. The best part was how well the meat imbibed the flavors.
Wow, That was so easy and delicious!
Initially chose this recipe as i had all the ingredients in the house but like others have said, milk/buttermilk was not listed. I ended up using sour cream to “brine” the chicken, as that was the only dairy I have no idea if that was effective, but the chicken taste and texture was amazing so didn’t matter.
The recipe itself would be 5 stars but please add all ingredients.
Thank you – will make again!
Our favorite chicken recipe its delicious ive been making it for years. When my kids are teenagers and have friends over this will be the dish i make. Its so easy and sooo good. We went through a phase we had it way too much, definitely need to eat this in moderation.
I made this recipe tonight. It was amazing. I did alter a little bit by adding a little bit of paprika and a little seasoned salt. Left regular salt out. So tender and juicy. Definitely will n my take this again!
Ive been making this for years its delicious one of our favorites!
This was so easy and fast but so delicious!