Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

This parmesan crusted chicken recipe is perfect to make for any day of the week. From the kitchen to your table will only take 35 minutes. Easy and delicious, does it get any better?

garlic parmesan chicken with chives and asparagus on a white plate


 

There are some nights I find it cathartic to come home and whip up a fancy meal, but other nights I want to binge watch something on TV.

Baked Chicken Breasts

Garlic Parmesan Chicken is a baked breaded chicken recipe that has been used by busy moms for decades. Sometimes called Mayo Chicken, Mayonnaise Chicken or even Hellman’s Chicken because it was created by the iconic mayonnaise brand.

ingredients for parmesan crusted chicken

Mayonnaise, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, Italian breadcrumbs, and boneless skinless chicken breast. Six ingredients, that’s all you need to make this deliciously easy and tender baked chicken recipe.

Parmesan Breading for Chicken

This recipe doesn’t use your typical process of breading, flour, egg and then bread crumbs. Instead it uses what I call a mayonnaise hack.

baked mayonnaise chicken on a baking sheet

Mayonnaise is made with eggs and oil so it accomplish two goals. The first is to hold all your yummy bread crumb seasoning in place and the second is to keep your chicken juicy and moist.

No melting off the sides like some sauces would, it actually bakes up and holds it all!

Hellman's mayo chicken on a white plate with asparagus

Make Mayonnaise Chicken

First, you’ll want to tenderize or pound out your chicken breasts for two reasons.

The first reason is that boneless skinless chicken breasts are a fairly uneven shape with one end tapering off and being super thin with the other up to 2 inches in diameter.

garlic parmesan chicken on a white plate with asparagus

In order for the thickest part to cook fully the tapered end starts to get dry and rubbery. If your entire breast is the same thickness, this does not happen and you get juicy baked chicken through and through.

PRO TIP: If you don’t want to tenderize, use a sharp knife and cut breasts in half lengthwise.

The second reason is that is breaks down fibers that can otherwise be perceived as chewy. The breast will be quite large after flattening, so I typically cut them in half to be more manageable.

garlic parmesan chicken on a white plate with asparagus

Mayo Chicken Topping

Season your chicken with salt and pepper.

Next you’ll mix up mayonnaise, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

mayo chicken topping with parmesan cheese and garlic

Spread it evenly on top of each chicken breast.

parmesan mayo on chicken breasts

Spoon seasoned bread crumbs on top of garlic mayo and press lightly to adhere.

putting seasoned bread crumbs onto chicken breasts

Bake them up and that is it!

What to serve with chicken:

I like to pair mine with something green like asparagus or a leafy salad.

Rice pilaf or baked potatoes are also great options!

ranch pasta salad in a serving bowl
Ranch Pasta Salad is a Good Pick!

More easy chicken recipes:

king chicken ranch casserole

Easy King Ranch Recipe

4.34 from 42 votes
This King Ranch Chicken Casserole is packed with incredible Tex-Mex flavors and of course loads of cheesy goodness. This simple recipe is perfect for a family dinner and can be made ahead of time.
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close up angled shot of chicken on a plate with lemons

Ranch Grilled Chicken

4.59 from 36 votes
Fire up the grill and make this delicious and juicy Ranch Grilled Chicken for dinner tonight! The best part? You only need 5 ingredients!
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overhead shot of sliced air fryer chicken parmesan

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

5 from 6 votes
With fresh ingredients and full of authentic Italian flavor, this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe might be your new favorite method!
See The Recipe!
Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken for Pinterest

Tools:

Rimmed Baking Sheet– another kitchen staple! You’ll use this for prep work, roasting and much more. I have 7 at my house.

Meat Mallet– Also known as a meat tenderizer, I used to refer to any chicken recipe that used a tenderizer as “pounded chicken breast”. 

Tenderizing chicken not only makes it a uniform thickness so it cooks more evenly, it also breaks down fibers making it more tender and easy to chew.

Mixing Bowls– make sure to check out my article on Using the Right Mixing Bowl, you’d be surprised how many people aren’t!

Parmesan crusted chicken for Pinterest
garlic parmesan chicken on a white plate with asparagus

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

4.25 from 8 votes
Garlic Parmesan Chicken is an easy weeknight meal option that kids love! Just 6 ingredients and dinner is made!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, garlic and parmesan cheese.
  • Lay each breast on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and tenderize until ½ inch thick using the flat side of the meat mallet. Repeat with each breast. Transfer to a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray.
  • Season each chicken breast with fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide mayonnaise mixture evenly on each chicken breast, spreading out to the edges. Spoon and lightly press bread crumbs into each chicken breast.
  • Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This can vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
  • Remove and garnish with minced parsley or additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 390 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 29 g, Fat: 27 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 92 mg, Sodium: 545 mg, Potassium: 439 mg, Vitamin A: 150 IU, Vitamin C: 1.8 mg, Calcium: 166 mg, Iron: 0.8 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 390
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: garlic parmesan chicken
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
mayo chicken for pinterest
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Bravo! As a retired executive chef from NYC, I applaud your use of mayonnaise. I’ve been using mayo coatings for decades and have been trying to encourage others to do the same, especially for things like griddled sandwiches. It’s easier to work with than butter. It spreads more evenly. It’s less greasy and adds a bit of ‘savory’ to the dish. Well done.

  2. Hello, The recipe looks great, I am just unsure of the measurements. When you say 4 chicken breast do you mean 4 whole half pound chicken breast or do you mean 4 half chicken breast which would equal a quarter pound each?

    1. I mean 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I will make that more clear in the instructions. Those too can vary greatly in size, look for a medium size so they can cook evenly, filet them in half lengthwise or pound then out with a tenderizer.