Baked ranch chicken is a creamy, cheesy, flavor-packed dinner that’s easy to make any night of the week! Juicy chicken gets smothered in savory ranch dressing and baked under crispy breadcrumbs and melted cheddar cheese. It’s family-friendly and quick!

If your crew loves this baked ranch chicken as much as mine does, try this easy baked Caesar chicken with Caesar dressing, next!

 

This baked chicken with ranch dressing and cheesy breadcrumbs is so tasty, and SO easy to make with 6 ingredients and a casserole dish. Baked ranch chicken is one of the dinners that my family asks for again and again, and after today, you’ll see why. It has juicy chicken breasts covered with creamy ranch, topped with crispy breadcrumbs and cheddar. It’s crunchy, melty, gooey, and seriously the best. Just add a side of salad or veggies!

Why I Love This Ranch Chicken Recipe

• Flavor-packed. This ranch chicken recipe is tender, juicy, and full of flavor on the inside with a deliciously crispy crunch outside. If you love easy chicken recipes like the viral Marry Me Chicken, this dinner has your name all over it!
• Fast and easy. It’s ready in no time, so even on the busiest weeknights I can have dinner on the table super fast. Just add everything to a casserole dish, and bake.
• Only 6 ingredients. It doesn’t get easier than that. This recipe uses pantry ingredients to pack the chicken full of flavor, and I always have them in my kitchen.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Check out the simple ingredients you’ll need to make these juicy baked ranch chicken breasts. You’ll find a printable recipe below the post with the full ingredient amounts and details. 

• Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can use thighs or even chicken tenderloins. 
• Mayonnaise – If needed, substitute mayo with sour cream or plain yogurt for a lighter option.
• Ranch Dressing Mix – Pick up a packet of your favorite store-bought dressing mix. I also have a great homemade ranch dressing mix that I’ll use whenever I have it in the cupboard!
• Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan will give you the meltiest results. But if pre-grated is all you have, go ahead and get out the green shaker bottle!
• Cheddar Cheese – Or another shredded, melty cheese. Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or provolone are also good options.
• Panko Breadcrumbs – I like the texture of big Panko crumbs, but you can use regular breadcrumbs if you’d like. Seasoned or unseasoned will work.

How To Make Baked Ranch Chicken

This ranch chicken is on the table in just 3 steps (ready for the oven in 2!) and it always turns out crispy and full of flavor. Follow along here and scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.

• Prepare the chicken. Arrange your chicken in a baking dish. Then, whisk ranch dressing mix and parmesan with mayo and pour this over the chicken, spreading it evenly over top.
• Add the topping. Mix the panko crumbs with shredded cheese and sprinkle that over the chicken.
• Bake. Your ranch chicken goes into the oven at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, until it’s cooked through. See below.

Stovetop Method

If you don’t feel like turning on the oven, you can make ranch chicken in a skillet on the stove instead. Sear the chicken in the pan first to cook it through, then add the ranch dressing and breadcrumb topping. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted, and serve! It’s very similar to the cooking directions for my Monterey chicken and Santa Fe chicken recipes. 

How To Tell When Chicken Is Done

Your dish might bake differently depending on your oven and the size and thickness of the chicken you’re using. The best way to tell when this ranch chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer. You want the internal temperature to read 165ºF at the thickest part of the chicken. At this point, take it out of the oven and serve!

More Tips and Variations

• Make the topping extra crispy. Spray the chicken with nonstick spray before baking, to help the topping crisp up nice and golden.
• Don’t overcook the chicken. Overcooked chicken will be dry and rubbery, so use an instant-read thermometer to make sure it cooks to 165ºF (see above).
• Rest the chicken. Resting the baked ranch chicken for 5 minutes after it’s out of the oven will give you extra juicy slices.
• More flavors. Try my Southwest baked chicken for a Tex-Mex version of this cheesy chicken recipe dressed with taco seasoning and salsa. You might also like to try this Italian chicken bake or classic baked chicken parmesan!

What to Serve With Baked Ranch Chicken

This baked ranch chicken is one of my family’s favorite dinners. All it needs is a side of salad, or I’ll serve it with crispy oven-roasted potatoes or air fryer carrots for a fast, delicious meal. As a starter, you can’t go wrong with garlic bread or breadsticks. For dessert, we love fudgy brownies with a scoop of ice cream!

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover ranch chicken airtight in the fridge for 3-4 days. 
• Reheat. You can reheat this chicken in the microwave or a 350ºF oven until the chicken is hot throughout.
• Freeze. Baked ranch chicken can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Defrost the chicken in the fridge before you reheat it.

More Chicken Recipes

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Cheddar Bacon Chicken Tenders
• Honey Dijon Chicken
• Italian Stuffed Chicken
• Mississippi Chicken
• Pizza Chicken

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