Known as Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken, Mayo Parmesan Chicken is oven-baked, skinless boneless chicken breasts coated with garlic, Parmesan, mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of Panko bread crumbs. A fast and easy-to-make recipe that's crunchy, moist, and tender baked mayo chicken breasts for a perfect weeknight dinner.
🐓Ingredients
Chicken breasts
Mayonnaise
Parmesan cheese
Italian Panko bread crumbs
Pantry ingredients—seasoning salt, garlic powder, black pepper
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Featured comment from Katherine:
"Five-stars. This recipe has been a go-to since you first posted it. Comes out melt-in-your-mouth perfect every time!"
You can never have too many great chicken recipes; this one has everything. It's extraordinarily moist, has a great taste of Parmesan, and a slight crunchiness. Plus, it has a skill level of 2/10. Anybody can handle this easy dinner recipe.
Sometimes called "melt-in-your-mouth" chicken, this baked garlic Parmesan chicken is perfect for a healthy low-calorie. And since it is a lightly breaded, it is also a great low-carb chicken recipe.
👨🍳How to Make Mayo Parmesan Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375° convection or 400° for a regular oven. Trim and pat dry skinless boneless chicken breasts. If thick, thin it to ¾ inch with a meat mallet.
Mix mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded or grated preferred), seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Prepare a cooking sheet with aluminum foil (to help clean up) and a rack (not required).
Dry the chicken with paper towels. Dip the chicken in the mayonnaise Parmesan mixture.
Lightly sprinkle with some Italian bread crumbs on both sides.
Bake until an internal temp of 165°—about 40 minutes. At 20 minutes into baking, flip the breasts with a fork.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
Baked Chicken Recipes
Check out some of my favorite chicken breast recipes, like How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven, Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts, and Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breast.
🐓Ingredients options and variations
Chicken options
This recipe uses skinless boneless chicken breasts. You can use skinless chicken thighs, chicken cutlets, or tenders, but the cooking time varies.
TIPS: Try to use breasts of about the same size and thin if over ¾ inches thick. For other forms of chicken, cook to 180° for thighs for tenderness, but 165° for other chicken.
Mayonnaise options
Use good quality since cheaper versions may be more watery and not stick as well.
Other possible bases for the coating are Miracle Whip®️, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or even cream cheese. People worry about the mayonnaise taste, but even the "mayo haters" love it in this recipe—see the comments.
TIP: DO NOT apply the mayo layer too thick. It will lead to the coating not sticking well and "melting" off. A light coat only, please.
Cheese options
Parmesan cheese is the most commonly recommended cheese. Other cheeses like Ramono, cheddar, or Asiago may be used.
TIP: Grated cheese is usually used, but I prefer shredded cheese for added texture.
Bread crumb options
Panko-type bread crumbs will add some crunch. I prefer the Italian spiced bread crumbs, but use what you want.
TIP: Keep the bread crumbs light. You are not making "Panko chicken."
Seasoning options
Seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, but modify to your taste.
↕️How to make this a "for two" or "family size " recipe
The recipe is now set for two chicken breasts. But this is a very easy recipe to scale to any size. Make it for one, two, or a crowd.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to the number of breasts you are cooking.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- Cooking instructions remain the same.
🍴Serving
Serve with rice, potatoes, or noodles as a starch—hot vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, or asparagus. A side salad and some crusty bread will round out a complete meal.
Check out these recipes for ideas: Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan, Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls.
👨🍳How to get the coating to stick better
- Nothing sticks well to wet chicken, so dry the chicken before coating.
- The mayonnaise needs to be of good quality. Cheap mayo will have more liquid.
- The mayonnaise coating must be thin—too heavy of a coat will melt off the chicken.
- If the chicken is still partly frozen, it will release fluid, and the coat will fall off.
- Never pick up coated or breaded meat with tongs—it will rip off the coating.
❄️How to store leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days refrigerated or 4 months frozen, but the crunchiness will suffer.
Reheat in a convection oven or an air fryer for best results.
❓FAQs and Tips
I'm adding a suggested flip of the chicken halfway through the cooking. Some (not me nor many others) have problems with a soggy bottom.
A couple of possibilities occur to me. First, previously frozen chicken or older chicken can release more fluid. Also, too much or thinner mayo could contribute. Or nothing they did.
Either way, the flip should help those cases and won't hurt. Use a fork for the flip. Tongs may remove some coating.
You can cook directly on PAM-covered foil, but it will have a soggy bottom. A rack will help prevent this.
I love cooking my chicken on a rack. You really need to get a rack. For a few dollars, you will become a much better cook. But get one that is "oven-safe." Some racks are cooling racks only and have a coating.
If your local store does not have them, Amazon will. I list a few in Cooking for Two Shop, but others will work.
If you have time, brining it will make the chicken more moist and tender.
The ratio for a brine is 2 cups of water and one tablespoon of table salt. Some people will add some brown sugar equal to the salt. Remember that all salt is not identical, and 1 teaspoon table salt = 1 ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
As little as 15 minutes makes a big difference. But you can brine for up to 2 hours if you want. This is a "heavy brine" in the amount of salt and matches the Cooks Illustrated suggestions. You may see longer brine times suggested, but please limit it to 2 hours maximum.
If you brine, be sure to wash off the salt gently. Also, instead of seasoning salt, use paprika in the coating.
Food safety
Raw chicken and other poultry should be considered contaminated and handled with care. Wash your hands carefully before and after touching raw chicken.
We do NOT wash raw chicken routinely due to water splatter. See Chicken... To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for more information.
You must cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165° for safety—see the USDA for more information. You need to check this with an instant-read thermometer.
Most recipes (including this one) include estimated cooking times. These are provided for planning purposes. You can not cook safely by time—you must use a thermometer.
📖 Recipe
Mayo Parmesan Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts trimmed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - grated - fresh preferred
- ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt - Lawry’s
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup Italian Panko bread crumbs - Very light coat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° convection or 400° for a regular oven. Trim and pat dry 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts. If thick, thin it to ¾ inch with a meat mallet.
- Mix ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded or grated preferred), ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt (I used Lawry's), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Prepare a cooking sheet with aluminum foil (to help clean up) and a rack. The rack will help crispness all around. You can do without the rack, but the bottom will not be crispy. Give the rack a good spray of PAM. If you don't have a rack, they can go directly on PAM sprayed foil.
- Dry the chicken with paper towels. Dip the chicken in the mayonnaise Parmesan mixture. Be sure to get all surfaces coated. Finger use is allowed, but wash well before and after. Note: keep the coating light.
- Lightly sprinkle with some Italian bread crumbs on both sides. You are not coating them but just adding some crispy flavor—about ¼ cup for two breasts.
- Bake until an internal temp of 165°. This will vary by oven but mainly by the size of the chicken. At 20 minutes into baking, flip the breasts with a fork. The total cooking time of about 40 minutes for medium to large. 45 minutes for huge. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Try to use chicken of about the same size. If over ¾ inch thick, flatten it out a bit with a meat mallet.
- Be sure to pat dry the chicken. Very dry. The coating will stick better.
- Keep the coating light and bread crumbs light. You may not need all the coating.
- I added a flip in the middle of the recipes. Some appear to need it. Use a fork, please. Not mandatory.
- Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or even cream cheese may be used.
- Obviously, an easy recipe to adjust.
- Common problems: Not drying enough, too much coating, too many bread crumbs, cheap mayonnaise, previously frozen chicken will release more fluid.
- Be sure to cook to the final internal temperature of 165°. Or cook to 180° if using chicken thighs for tenderness.
- Storage for 4 days refrigerated or 4 months frozen, but the crunchiness will suffer.
- Reheat leftovers in a convection oven or air fryer.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
The "inspired by" for today goes to Melt in Your Mouth Chicken Breast at Food.com.
Editor's Note: Originally published December 12, 2012, it has been buried on the blog for a while and needs to see the light of day. The pictures are re-edited. The text is rewritten and buffed up.
Cj says
Doesn't say to turn midway but mine was soggy on downward facing side. I used the grate. I used Slap your mama to break up the bland. Ok is the best I can say.
DrDan says
Hi CJ,
Welcome to the blog and sorry it didn't work well for you. I was rewriting this recipe post for tomorrow already so I have added a flip in the middle as an option. A few others have had issues also.
________________
I'm adding a suggest flip of the chicken half way through the cooking. Some (not me nor many others) are having problems with soggy bottom. A couple of possibilities occur to me. First, previously frozen chicken or older chicken can release more fluid. Also, too much or thinner mayo could be contribute.
Either way, the flip should help and won't hurt. Use a fork for the flip. Tongs may remove some coating.
_____________
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Elaine says
Delicious chicken! My kids love spicy so I use half mayo and half Sriracha mustard. Yum!
DrDan says
Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the blog. This is an unusual combo but glad it works for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
N. Johnson says
OMG...I tried this with every ingrediant and the baking racks. Absolutely "AWSOME". Quick, simple and extremely tasty. Making more this weekend...simply delicious...I love it!
Julie says
Making this now. The only thing I would change is to use half the parm in the Mayo batter then half later to sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Another Cooking Dad says
I had only about one-half of the required parmesan cheese so I rummaged around the fridge and found some seasoned crumbled feta and substituted that for the remainder. It really made an EXCELLENT addition. I will always use some feta when making this dish (I wouldn't suggest using more than 1/4 cup though, as the sharp flavor might be overpowering). With a couple of gluten-free eaters, I couldn't use the Italian bread crumbs. Not being able to locate any Panko in the cupboard, I sprinkled on some corn flake crumbs to get a little crunch. This is clearly one of those fun recipies where some substitution and creativity won't run the meal.
BTW, the whole family (even our finicky 13-year-old) loves it. This recipe has won a spot in my coveted 'Favorite Recipe' bookmark folder.
Chris says
I used miracle whip and it was an absolute orgasm in my mouth.
Meghan says
Yum! Made this tonight for the family, and it was delicious! I cut my chicken breasts into halves and used the rack from my toaster oven over a cookie sheet. It baked perfectly crisp. Definitely going into my regular menu rotation!
DrDan says
Hi Meghan,
The rack does make this recipe. I have rack of every size for my sheet pans.
Glad it worked well for you and thanks for the note.
Dan
Kasey Ng says
I just finished making this recipe tonight. This was the first time I’ve cooked a homecooked meal, and I am SO glad I chose this chicken recipe. As with everyone else, my boyfriend and I hate Mayo. I trusted what everyone said about not tasting it, but my boyfriend was skeptical. I’ve never seen him so happy :) Thank you a million times Dan!!! If it’s okay with you, this will be going in my personal cookbook!
Savannah Magowan says
If you hate mayo, please don't let this recipe turn you off! Half of my family hates mayo and I made this without telling them about the mayo and everyone wanted seconds! Only after they ate it did I tell them and they don't believe me. Try it out, you won't be sorry.
Maureen Kmieciak says
I wish I went with my gut and made half of the mayo coating. Why use 1 cup of mayo for a light coating when I can use 1/2 a cup and save waste. They are in the oven now. Hope they live up to the hype.
Sue K says
I made this last night. I did use Miracle Whip because that is what I had. While the chicken was good and moist, I felt that the chicken was pretty bland. I would have liked to have a little more crisp on it as well. So for a base recipe this is good. I will add more spices, maybe some paprika, more pepper and seasoning salt for starters. I put garlic salt on them when I ate them which amped them up a little.
Amy says
This is a family fav - juicy and tender every time without standing at the range all night. A delicious substitution we use is Chosen Foods Avacado mayo. You'd never know the difference and so much better for you!
DrDan says
Hi Amy,
First, sorry for the delayed reply.
I like the idea, I will pick some of that up.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Mitsuko sato says
I’ve made the recipe from Hellmann’s/best foods. (It’s basically just mayo, Parmesan, and Italian bread crumbs piled on top of the chicken breast and then baked). I figured this recipe had to be better, since it had the mayo mixture on both sides and extra spices and utilized a rack. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The rack and to double sided coating did not make both sides crisp up. In fact, I would say the bottom side was even more soggy. For reference, I used a rack and hellmanns, best foods mayonnaise, and Panko bread crumbs with Italian seasoning mixed in. I had rather large chicken breasts and an oven without convection, so I baked them in a 400 degree oven for 45minutes. Nonetheless, the bottoms of my breast were grossly soggy-more so than the original recipe I’ve done before (which I used all the same items and did all the same steps, minus coating them on both sides and using a rack). I’m sorry to say, I would not make this recipe again.
Jessica says
Making this tonight super excited thank you!
Sweet Bee says
Absolute new favorite*
Sweet Bee says
Great recipe! Abolished new favorite! I substituted the breadcrumbs for crushed Hot Fries and the flavors were explosive. Looking forward to making this over and over.