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Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe

Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts
Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: | Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Chicken breasts can be a bummer to bake because of their uneven shape and lack of flavor, but this recipe remedies both problems. By cutting the breasts in half and pounding them to an even thickness, you cut down on the cooking time and ensure that they bake evenly without drying out. To add flavor and texture, dip the chicken in a mixture of mayo and fresh thyme, then coat it with panko breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, and serve these crispy, flavorful chicken breasts alongside some roasted broccoli or sweet potatoes.

What to buy: Panko is coarse Japanese-style breadcrumbs. It’s available in the international section of most supermarkets.

Click here to watch the CHOW Test Kitchen’s Amy Wisniewski make this simple baked chicken breast recipe in our Easiest Way video series.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups panko
  • 1/2 cup shredded Emmentaler or Gruyère cheese, shredded on the small holes of a box grater (about 1 ounce)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to oil the wire rack
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and fit it with a wire rack. Lightly oil the rack and set aside.
  2. Place the panko, cheese, and measured oil in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to combine evenly. Place the mayonnaise, milk, and thyme in another shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Set both dishes aside.
  3. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place 1 piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness (about 1/2 inch) with a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan. Place on a large plate or second baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
  4. Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dip 1 piece of chicken in the mayonnaise mixture and turn to coat. Then dip it in the panko mixture, turn to coat, and press the mixture onto the chicken to adhere. Place the breaded chicken on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, leaving at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space between the pieces. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
    Write a review | 6 Reviews
  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    4

    If you think this recipe is bland, I recommend doubling the thyme (if you only have store-bought thyme), using parm instead of Swiss, and adding a good amount of that fresh pepper. I ended up needing the whole 40 minutes (for 3 breasts), but that is because I used more milk than the recipe called for. I tend to prepare meals by instinct rather than measure out in advance or calibrate according to the recipe as I go along. It came out pretty juicy with that extra milk!

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    5

    I keep it in oven for 31 minutes and it was enough. Delicious, crispy, but a little bit to salty, take it easy on the salt (for the chicken, the mayonnaise and the panko).

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    4

    my daughter and I made this with a bit less thyme (about 2 t) because she isn't fond of most spices. She still didn't like it and the rest of us thought it was too bland. Altered it yesterday (NO thyme). Instead used about 1 tsp (to taste) low sodium soy sauce in the mayo mixture and EVERYONE loved it. Even her older brother (you know how older brothers are) loved it! The altered recipe is a keeper in our household :)

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    5

    My daughter really enjoyed this dish. I used a little extra cheese(Jarlsberg and Parmesan)and plain panko bread crumbs; I didn't have fresh thyme (so used ground thyme). It was very crispy -- and good. I used smaller breast strips and didn't pound them, and cooked them the whole 40 minutes.

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    4

    When I prepared this dish it was in a smaller quantity. I used only 2 pcs (2 halves) of chicken breasts which can serve 2-3 people depending on their appetite. I cut most ingredients in half except the bread crumbs which I used 3/4 cup. Before putting into over I put pine nuts over the top. Baked in my countertop convection oven at 400 for 35 min. If they would have browned quicker I think maybe 25-30 minutes would have sufficed. I am thinking that next time I will try a different flavor cheese and possibly use some of my basil from my garden.

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
    4

    Made these tonite and cooking them 40 min would be too long. It seemed long to me so I set my oven timer for 30 and they were just cooked. Not juicy done but cooked all the way thru. Next time I will do 25 min then test them for done ness and figure in "carry over cooking time".

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