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We LOVE chicken recipes – it’s something our kids will always eat.

We especially love this baked ranch chicken because it is healthier than frying and takes just minutes to put together (5 to be exact). Then simply bake for a great weeknight dinner!

The breading on the chicken is really light, and it’s only made up of a small handful of ingredients. There aren’t any crazy concoctions of seasonings – just panko, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, lemon pepper, and the dry Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix. It’s the perfect savory breading to bring out the flavor of the chicken.

Add some roasted veggies or a salad and you have one delicious meal! We love it so much we have two tasty variations to try – Crockpot Ranch Chicken and Ranch Chicken!

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • 5 minutes of prep. Coat the chicken and bake – it really is THAT simple! It’s a great go-to easy dinner for busy weeknights.
  • Packed with flavor. Dry ranch dressing mix makes a great seasoning for chicken! Baked ranch chicken is so simple, yet so flavorful.
  • A healthy variation. We love baked chicken the most because it is healthier than frying and takes just minutes to put together.
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Chicken breasts next to bowl of melted butter and bowl of breading for chicken.

Baked Ranch Chicken Ingredients and Substitutions

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs or pork chops. Use a meat mallet to gently pound the thickest part of the chicken for an even cook. If using bone-in chicken, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs or crushed crackers, pretzels, cornflakes, or tortilla chips.
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
  • dash of lemon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning or 1 Ranch seasoning packet
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided salted or unsalted butter
Breaded hidden valley ranch chicken breasts ready to be baked.

How to Make Baked Ranch Chicken

  1. COAT. Put Panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, a dash of lemon pepper, and dry Ranch seasoning in a bowl and mix until everything is well combined. Melt butter and dip 4 chicken breasts in butter and then dip in a mixture of crumbs.
  2. BAKE. Placed coated chicken breasts in a greased pan. Top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
    • Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes. I baked it for 40 minutes and then broiled it on HIGH for the last 5-7 minutes to brown the panko a bit.

Stove Top Directions

Fry the chicken instead of baking. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a pan. Follow the directions for coating the chicken, place it in the hot pan, and make sure that it sizzles when it hits the pan. When the breast is golden, flip it over. If it’s getting too brown, turn down the heat; if it’s taking too long to cook, increase the heat. Once they have finished cooking, drain them on a paper towel.

Sliced baked ranch chicken on a white plate with broccoli.
4.91 from 40 votes

Baked Ranch Chicken

By: Lil’ Luna
Our flavorful baked ranch chicken preps in 5 minutes for an easy, healthier take on crispy chicken. It's a kid-approved favorite!
Servings: 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
  • dash of lemon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning, or 1 seasoning packet
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Place crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, lemon pepper, and Hidden Valley Mix in a bowl and mix.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter and dip chicken breasts in butter and then dip in a mixture of crumbs.
  • Placed in a greased pan. Top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes. I baked it for 40 minutes and then broiled it on HIGH for the last 5-7 minutes to brown the panko a bit. ENJOY!

Notes

Prep ahead of time. Coat the chicken the day before and keep it covered in a baking dish in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 180mg, Sodium: 1939mg, Potassium: 850mg, Vitamin A: 475IU, Vitamin C: 2.7mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

Prep ahead of time?

Coat the chicken the day before and keep it covered in a baking dish in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

How to store?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

 Recipe adapted from HERE.

This recipe was originally published February 2015.

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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4.91 from 40 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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55 Comments

  1. Eileen L. says:

    5 stars
    Tried tHis tonight for dinner And Hubby and I really enjoyed it – he said “very tastey!” Will DEFINITELY make it again!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Yay!! Tell him, thank you!!

  2. Tammy says:

    5 stars
    Delicious, super easY, chIcken came out juicy… awesome weekniGht meal! Didnt use the parm because i used a Pre-packaged garlic ranch seasoning and this was great! Nice and crunchy, i did toast the panko beforehand and put a pinch of paprika to give it a more browned uniform color. Thanks so Much for this!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You are so welcome! Glad you liked it! Thank you!

  3. Mandi Mason says:

    Is the cooking time the same if using thin chicken breast?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I might be slightly less. I would just start checking maybe 5 min earlier.

  4. Laurie says:

    5 stars
    DELICIOUS ?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Happy you think so 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!

  5. Yolanda Thorne says:

    5 stars
    aMzing Thansk

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!

  6. RAMADAN IFTAR DISHES says:

    5 stars
    I have tried it lots of time in my personal kitchen. it is just amazing!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you for saying that!

  7. PaTty knutson says:

    5 stars
    My favorite chicken recipe, hands down!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Awe, thank you so much!

  8. Holly says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! Used a littld more garlic salt than recipe asked.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      So glad you liked it! I like to add more, too! Thank you 🙂

  9. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    I simply love all the things you can do with chicken. Another great recipe thats simple and has a great taste.

  10. Misty says:

    5 stars
    i usually always have chicken on hand, so getting new Delicious recipes are the BEST! We had this last night for dinner and my family loved it.