Full of flavor, moist, tender melt in your mouth chicken and best of all, simple to make!
How can a dish with only 6 ingredients taste SO good?
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.
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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 40-45 minutes of baking time – wonderful melt in your mouth chicken was ready.
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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.
More easy chicken meals :
Easy Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
Melt in Your Mouth Chicken
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat
- 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. Place chicken breast strips/chunks in a bowl of milk/buttermilk. Let it soak for 20 -30 min or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and seasonings.
- Place chicken into a 9x13 baking dish and spread the mixture evenly on top of the chicken
breasts, and sprinkle with remain parmesan. - Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through. You can also finish them off under the broiler for a minute or two to get them extra browned on top.
- Serve with a veggie like these delicious fresh broccoli that I steamed. Season with a dash of fresh parsley, if desired.
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!
Making them right now will see if I did it right lol
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?
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.
My husband loves that Kraft cheese so I always have both on hand.
My wife loved it.
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?
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.
Take it out of the milk.
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 🙁
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.
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!!!
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 .
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!!
This was absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this again. The prep was so easy, and the chicken was moist and flavorful!
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?
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
Very good and so easy! Marinated chicken in buttermilk for couple hours first. Will definitely make again. Thank you for 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!
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!
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 ?
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
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.
Ive been making this for years its delicious one of our favorites!