I’ve been fascinated by recipes ever since I was a child. As a kid, I would spend an alarming amount of time reading back-of-the-box recipe suggestions or cutting out recipes from newspapers and magazines. I drove my mom crazy with this odd little habit and requests for ingredients from the grocery store.
As a teen, I remember coming across an advertisement for something called “Hellmann’s Chicken Magic” and convincing my mom to give it a try. My pitch? Look how easy it is! All you had to do was make a paste of mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese, slather it on some chicken, and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs before baking.
The resulting chicken was super moist and juicy with an irresistible crispy and cheesy crust. Most importantly, it tasted nothing like mayonnaise, of which I am not a fan. This quickly became one of my most highly requested meals, and my mom didn’t mind since it was so easy to pull off.
Recently, on a particularly chilly evening, I had an intense craving for this nostalgic meal. The only problem? I live with a house full of fellow mayonnaise haters and I was missing the key ingredient. I decided to get a little inventive and reached for a bottle of ranch dressing instead.
To my surprise and delight, it was a big hit! My kids now refer to this meal as “big chicken nuggets” which is a fairly apt description. You get moist, juicy chicken paired with just a hint of crunchy golden brown crust. With just four ingredients and five minutes of prep time, this is a meal you’ll make again and again. Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic!
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Choosing the Right Ingredients
I used a refrigerated ranch dressing that I found at my local Whole Foods called Toby’s Jalapeño Ranch. It’s got a hint of spice but is also very herbaceous, which I felt gave the chicken awesome flavor.
The best ranch dressing to use for this application is one that is similar to mayonnaise in consistency and contains eggs and oil. That emulsion is what makes the magic happen: it will coat the chicken in fat and ensure it stays juicy while cooking.
As for the Parmesan cheese, this is one of the only times that the pre-grated stuff is superior. It’s drier than freshly-grated, which helps it to form a thick paste to coat the chicken. For the crunchy coating, my favorite option is dried seasoned breadcrumbs, but I’ve used crushed Ritz crackers or even potato chips in a pinch. You just want a little sprinkle of something that gives the dish some crunch.
Tips and Tricks for Making My 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts
- Pat your chicken dry: Don’t be tempted to skip this step! Sometimes, depending on how it’s packaged, chicken can be quite wet (yuck!), so be sure to wick off any excess moisture first so the paste can really adhere to the chicken.
- Air fry, if you like: You can cook these chicken breasts in the air fryer instead of the oven if you prefer; they will take about 20 minutes at 400°F.
- Change up the flavors: If ranch isn’t your thing (huh? can’t relate!), a creamy Caesar dressing is a nice twist, too.
- Even out larger pieces: I prefer making this with 4 smaller chicken breasts because I think the texture is better, but if you are only able to find a 2-pack of larger chicken breasts, pound them slightly with a meat mallet so they are at least somewhat even in thickness to ensure more even cooking.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Ranch for the Win
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1/2 cup mayonnaise-based ranch dressing
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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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2 tablespoons dried seasoned breadcrumbs
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Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
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Season and coat the chicken:
In a small bowl, mix together the ranch dressing and Parmesan cheese until a thick paste forms. The consistency should be similar to whipped cream cheese: thick, but easy to spread.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season all over generously with salt and pepper.
Divide the coating evenly among the chicken breasts, then use a butter knife to spread the coating into an even layer that covers the entire exposed surface of the chicken. Transfer the coated chicken to the prepared baking sheet.
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Add breadcrumbs:
Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/2 tablespoon of breadcrumbs, pressing them onto the paste to ensure they adhere.
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Bake:
Bake until the tops are golden brown and crisp and the thickest part of each breast reads at least 165°F with an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve.
Any leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 477 | Calories |
| 23g | Fat |
| 6g | Carbs |
| 57g | Protein |
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 477 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 23g | 30% |
| Saturated Fat 6g | 29% |
| 163mg | 54% |
| 746mg | 32% |
| 6g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| 57g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
| Calcium 148mg | 11% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 487mg | 10% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
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