Herbed Parmesan Chicken Bake (Printable)
Crispy baked chicken with Parmesan, fresh herbs, and golden breadcrumb coating. Ready in 40 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Dairy
02 - 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
→ Herbs & Spices
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Breading & Coating
10 - 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
11 - 2 large eggs
→ For Drizzling
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with non-stick spray.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, thyme, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate shallow bowl, beat 2 large eggs until fully blended and smooth.
04 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Dip each breast into the beaten egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then press firmly into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides evenly.
05 - Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each breast with olive oil to promote even browning and a crisp crust.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the coating is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
07 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 3 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The Parmesan breadcrumb crust gets impossibly crunchy in the oven, and you never have to deal with messy frying.
- It works with whatever fresh herbs you have leftover in your fridge, so nothing goes to waste.
- Leftovers slice beautifully over a salad the next day, if you even have any left.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally or pound them to even thickness, otherwise the outside burns before the center cooks through.
- Do not flip the chicken while baking, because the bottom crust will stick to your spatula and tear off in patches.
- For a seriously crispy finish, switch the broiler on for the last 2 to 3 minutes and watch it like a hawk so it chars instead of burns.
03 -
- One hand for the egg and one hand for the dry mixture saves you from the dreaded glued fingers situation that drives everyone crazy.
- Letting the coated chicken rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before baking helps the crust adhere better than going straight into the oven.