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❤️ Why you'll love it
- One of those easy dinner recipes the whole family enjoys
- Always-crispy coating and perfectly juicy, tender chicken
- Simple enough for busy weeknights, yet fancy enough for the in-laws
Baked garlic Parmesan chicken is one of my favorite dishes. Crunchy bread crumbs are flavored with Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and (the best part!) a lemon butter drizzle for mouthwatering flavor in every bite!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Butterfly-cut the skinless chicken breasts and marinate in buttermilk.
- Dredge chicken pieces in the breadcrumb and cheese mixture.
- Place chicken in a single layer in the buttered baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice, garlic, and butter sauce.
- Bake garlic Parmesan chicken lightly covered with aluminum foil.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
🥫 Storage
This easy recipe is not difficult to store or reheat—if you happen to have any extras, that is!
Place leftover chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. Store for up to three days.
Heat the garlic Parmesan chicken in a 350-degree F oven just until warmed through and crispy. You can use the microwave, but the coating won't stay as crisp and the meat tends to dry out a bit.
Though many of my easy chicken dinners freeze well, this one does not.
📖 Variations
- For the same, good results in just a short time, air fry the garlic Parmesan chicken instead of baking it! Instructions are included at the bottom of the recipe card.
- Instead of cutting the meat, you can save time by picking up some thin cuts of chicken from the store. Chicken tenderloins (chicken tenders) also work, but the baking time won't be quite as long.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer a dark meat option.
- Make garlic parmesan chicken wings, instead! Just watch the bake time closely and check with a thermometer for doneness.
- Or, switch up the type of meat altogether. Garlic parmesan pork chops would be tasty, too!
- For even more flavor, use Italian dressing rather than buttermilk for marinating. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- If you'd like to go a little lighter on the garlic flavor, consider using minced shallots in the lemon butter drizzle, instead of garlic.
- On the other hand, you can add 1-½ teaspoons of garlic powder to the breadcrumb mixture for extra garlicky chicken! Or, experiment with onion powder.
- Sometimes I'll add red pepper flakes to the lemon butter sauce for a little bit more heat.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Don't leave the chicken in the buttermilk for more than an hour. Otherwise, the meat will start to break down.
- If you don't have time to marinate the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, just dip the chicken in it before coating it with the crumbs.
- Taste the breading mixture before you start adding the chicken. If it doesn't taste like it's seasoned, now's a good time to add a little more.
- The cheap, grated Parmesan in the green container works perfectly. Don't feel the need to splurge on the fancy stuff this time!
- Buy minced garlic from the store if you don't like to peel and chop it.
- If you have leftover garlic gloves, preserve them in olive oil or butter. (Plus, garlic-infused oil is delicious for drizzling over snacks and apps!)
- For a more fragrant garlic butter sauce, you can skip the microwave and simmer it over medium heat on the stove until the butter starts to brown.
- Spritz the aluminum foil with some nonstick cooking spray before tenting the chicken so it doesn't accidentally peel off any of the garlic Parmesan breadcrumb topping.
- Kicking up the heat for the last 10 minutes of bake time helps the breadcrumbs crisp. However, at this point, you must watch it carefully or it will burn.
- If you drizzle too much butter on top, the crumbs will get soggy after baking. If this happens, just sprinkle some more crumbs on top, press them into the chicken, and run it under the broiler until golden.
👩🍳 FAQs
Yes ma'am! Place a garlic clove under the thickest part of the blade of your knife. Use the base of your hand to carefully smash the knife onto the garlic. Then, the outer skin will peel right off and leave you with a gorgeous clove of garlic.
You can get away with it, but be careful that the butter doesn't spill out over the edge. I'd use a heavy, sturdy baking sheet with higher edges if you must.
This chicken recipe uses simple ingredients so there are a ton of side options that go great with it! Mashed potatoes, pasta in creamy parmesan sauce, or rice are all great options for an easy meal. Add your favorite veggies, and, of course, garlic bread!
Yes, see the instructions in the recipe card.
Yes, they work perfectly!
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📞 The last word
Is your mouth watering yet? 😋 Baked garlic parmesan chicken recipe is so flavorful and juicy, you'll never want to eat anything else!
This easy chicken recipe goes together quickly for a perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Bake it or use the air fryer - instructions included for both.
Have you tried this recipe yet? Let me know in the comments. If not, what are you waiting for? 🤗
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- ¼ cup butter
Breading
- ½ cup bread crumbs, Italian style or Panko are best
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, sprinkle on chicken just before serving
Buttermilk Dip
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Butter Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
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Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts on a plastic cutting board. Hold in place firmly with your hand flat and slice through the chicken horizontally to butterfly it. Separate the two halves.
- Mix the buttermilk and the hot sauce together in a baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the ¼ cup butter in a 9x13 pan. Put it in the oven while the oven heats.
- In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, and pepper.
- Take one piece of chicken out of the buttermilk. Let the excess drip off. Put into the breadcrumb mixture. Flip to coat both sides.
- Place chicken in the baking dish with the melted butter.
- .Melt the remaining butter in a microwave safe bowl with the minced garlic.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk to blend. Drizzle carefully over the chicken breast - just a little!
- Tent the pan loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove pan from the oven. Remove aluminum foil and carefully flip the chicken pieces.
- Return to the oven and turn the heat up to 425F. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken registers 160F on an insta-read thermometer. Watch carefully so the crumbs don't burn.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. The temperature of the chicken will continue to rise to 165F.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve.
AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS
- Follow the instructions about through the drizzle.
- Place in an air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 375F for 6 minutes.
- Hit pause and remove the basket.
- Flip the chicken over. Sprinkle on a little more of the crumb mixture.
- Reduce heat to 350F and air fry for about 4 more minutes.
- Chicken is done when it reads 160F on an insta-read thermometer.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, sprinkle with smoked paprika, and serve.
Notes
- Don't leave the chicken in the buttermilk for more than an hour. Otherwise, the meat will start to break down.
- If you don't have time to marinate the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, just dip the chicken in it before coating it with the crumbs.
- Taste the breading mixture before you start adding the chicken. If it doesn't taste like it's seasoned, now's a good time to add a little more.
- The cheap, grated Parmesan in the green container works perfectly. Don't feel the need to splurge on the fancy stuff this time!
- Buy minced garlic from the store if you don't like to peel and chop it.
- If you have leftover garlic gloves, preserve them in olive oil or butter. (Plus, garlic-infused oil is delicious for drizzling over snacks and apps!)
- For a more fragrant garlic butter sauce, you can skip the microwave and simmer it over medium heat on the stove until the butter starts to brown.
- Spritz the aluminum foil with some nonstick cooking spray before tenting the chicken so it doesn't accidentally peel off any of the garlic Parmesan breadcrumb topping.
- Kicking up the heat for the last 10 minutes of bake time helps the breadcrumbs crisp. However, at this point, you must watch it carefully or it will burn.
- If you drizzle too much butter on top, the crumbs will get soggy after baking. If this happens, just sprinkle some more crumbs on top, press them into the chicken, and run it under the broiler until golden.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published April 12, 2021. Last updated December 17, 2022 for editorial updates and to make it easier to read.
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