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Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

Melt in your mouth chicken features juicy baked chicken breasts topped with a golden, puffy Parmesan and mayonnaise crust. This easy baked chicken recipe bakes until bubbling and tender inside, with herb-flecked flavor from garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and lemon.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts About 6 oz each if possible for even cooking.
Parmesan mayo topping
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese Freshly grated for best melting and browning.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.25 Salt To taste.
  • 0.25 cracked black pepper To taste.
  • 1 Fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and cracked black pepper and place them in the prepared baking dish.
Make the Parmesan mayonnaise mixture
  1. Mix together mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and fresh lemon juice until smooth.
  2. Spread the Parmesan mayonnaise mixture generously over the top of each chicken breast, covering completely.
Bake
  1. Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbly and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For the most tender results, bake only until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F, then rest for 2 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise or a half-and-half mix of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt to reduce richness without changing the crusting method.