This Mayo Parmesan Chicken bakes up into the most tender, juicy chicken with a savory, crispy, cheesy crust! With just a handful of ingredients that you probably have on hand, this makes the BEST baked chicken breasts!
This chicken recipe is all about the tender, juicy flavor with a savory Parmesan crust. The mayo is the secret ingredient here that helps lock in all the moisture and keeps the chicken from drying out while it bakes.
Surely you’ve had dry, tough baked chicken breasts before. I know I sure have, but this recipe for parmesan crusted chicken with mayo is FOOLPROOF.
Even if you hate mayonnaise, you’ll love this chicken. The mayo does the most magical job of locking in the moisture and keeping the chicken tender and juicy while the Parmesan crisps up and adds flavor and texture.
This is low carb so there aren’t any bread crumbs in our Parmesan crusted chicken with mayo. It’s gluten free, low carb, and one of the easiest ways to ensure you get delicious baked chicken breasts every time.
If you love Parmesan as much as we do check out this Parmesan crusted cod! It’s a great low carb seafood option. Parmesan roasted broccoli and this garlic Parmesan asparagus are also excellent choices!
Unbelievably Juicy & Tender: I don’t want to hype this up too much, but this chicken is seriously so juicy and tender. The mayo is magical and, no, your chicken won’t taste like it took a mayonnaise bath!
Easy Peasy: There are really just 3 main ingredients here: chicken, mayo, and parm. Season with whatever your heart desires. A seasoning blend keeps it easy, or make our everyday chicken seasoning with onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Low Carb & Family Friendly: This recipe is naturally low carb with no funky ingredients or swaps. No one will realize that you’re serving up ‘diet food’ and the whole family will ask for this mayo parmesan chicken to be on repeat!
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken – We’re starting with boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Always pound out your chicken to an even thickness so that it cooks evenly. You could also use boneless chicken thighs here instead.
Seasoning – This mayo parmesan chicken is also seasoned with some smoked paprika, cracked pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. The paprika will add great smoky flavor to the chicken! Plus parsley for garnish.
Mayonnaise – The mayo seals in all the moisture in the chicken, adds some needed fat to keep things juicy and flavorful, and helps make the chicken tender. I’m a Kraft brand mayo girl for life, but use whatever you like best. I know Duke’s is a favorite of many.
Parmesan Cheese – I’m using shredded Parmesan here as it will form a flavorful crust on the top of the chicken when combined with the mayo. It’s savory and delicious, adding a salty crunch to the top of the chicken.
Meat Tenderizer
I love using this meat tenderizer to flatten out chicken breasts before cooking them. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and pound it out so that it cooks nice and even.
Recipe Variations:
There are a few simple ways you could change up the ingredients in this recipe. If you’re not a big fan of mayonnaise you could replace it with sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt!
They’ll act well to help lock in the moisture just like the mayo would. And while we love Parmesan for this recipe because it makes a nice crusted chicken you could swap that for mozzarella cheese (or use both) to add a melty topping.
The seasoning can be swapped up with just about anything you’d like. If you want to spice things up a bit add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the mix! Cajun seasoning works great here as does a BBQ dry rub.
How To Make Mayo Parmesan Chicken:
- Season – To get started you’ll season the chicken breast on both sides with the paprika, salt, and pepper. Arrange the chicken breasts in an even layer in a prepared 9×13 baking dish.
- Mayo & Parmesan – The savory Parmesan crust is easy to prepare. Just mix the mayo with the shredded Parmesan, garlic powder, and onion powder in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Spread: Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each piece of chicken.
- Bake – Finally, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top of each piece of chicken and then bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost. Just stick it in the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness. This thermometer is also magnetic so it’s easy to store right on the side of the fridge or oven for easy access! Get it on Amazon.
Don’t forget to add the extra parmesan on top before baking! It’s what crisps up and gives the chicken a bit of crunchy texture!
Serving Suggestions:
There’s all kinds of great low carb sides that’d go well with this crusted chicken recipe! Pretty much any veggie is a good choice, especially the green kind.
Try it with our broccoli salad for even more cheesy goodness! Some prosciutto wrapped asparagus or crispy Brussels sprouts are also great choices.
Roasted cauliflower rice would make another great low carb side for this chicken, and you can’t go wrong with a salad. My Brussels sprouts salad recipe is a winner too!
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FAQ’s:
If you’ve got leftover Parmesan crusted chicken it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. You can reheat it in the oven or air fryer to crisp the cheese back up or in the microwave to keep it simple.
Yes, you can freeze the leftover chicken in a freezer safe container or bag for up to a few months. Thaw first before reheating in the oven.
It’s the secret to keeping the chicken tender and juicy! The mayo helps lock in moisture, plus it acts as a binder to keep the Parmesan and seasoning adhered to the chicken while it bakes, forming a tasty crust!
MORE KETO CHICKEN RECIPES!
- Baked Chicken Legs
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Cream Cheese Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
- Crock Pot Chicken Wings
Mayo Parmesan Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 ½ pounds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Season the chicken on both sides with the paprika, salt, and pepper. Arrange in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Add the mayonnaise, ½ cup of Parmesan, garlic powder, and onion powder to a bowl and stir to combine. Spread the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan over the top of each piece of chicken.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
HT says
Wow! The mayo made the chicken so juicy and moist! Personally, I didn’t care for the excess parm but overall, great dish.
Gill Jordan says
Loved this, it’s now a firm favorite in our house. I added panko on top on the mayo to give an extra crunch.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Gill!
Lisa Scott says
We made this recipe last night for dinner. It was delicious! Wondering if we could elevate the chicken on a cooling rack during baking so that it does not sit in so much liquid during baking. Seems that would give it a crunchy coating? That may sacrifice the tenderness of the chicken, maybe?
Karly Campbell says
I haven’t tried that but it would likely work fine! The top gets crunchy for us already though and I think the liquid helps keep it moist. But you could definitely try that if you want more crunch all the way around.
Carol Tarzwell says
I haven’t tried this yet, but it looks delicious. I wonder if you could cook it An air fryer I just hate turning on the oven in the summer.
Karly Campbell says
Hi Carol! I’m not sure how this one would do in the air fryer – it does release quite a lot of liquid in the bottom of the pan so might make a mess in the air fryer.
Kathy C. says
I was wondering the same thing why not try the air fryer. It would get crispy also.
gerri bohdan says
I have made this for a quick easy dinner for years. So tasty
Margaret Kesinger says
Going to try. Do I need to cover dish while cooking?
Karly Campbell says
Nope!
Denise Latimore says
My very picky 89 year old Dad loved this. It will be a regular now at our house. Delish!!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks, Denise!
Alicia says
I made this earlier this week and it was SO delicious!!! Even my picky 4 year old loved it! This is definitely one that will be going on our weekly rotation for meals!!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad it was such a hit!
Julia says
Easy to prepare and quick to cook and the result is a delicious, moist chicken. Will be placed in the keeper file!
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for the review!