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Baked Caesar Chicken

Baked Caesar chicken with a golden, crackled Parmesan-panko crust and a fragrant lemon-garlic dressing marinade. Juicy baked chicken breasts get topped with crisp romaine, croutons, and extra shaved Parmesan for a weeknight-ready Caesar chicken bake.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Caesar dressing and marinade
  • 0.75 cup Caesar dressing store-bought or homemade
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Parmesan-panko crust
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
Serving toppings
  • Fresh romaine
  • croutons
  • extra Caesar dressing for serving
  • shaved Parmesan finish
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, mix Caesar dressing, 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic powder, and lemon zest until evenly combined. Add chicken breasts and marinate for 20 minutes.
Bake with Parmesan-panko crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking dish or sheet pan. Place the marinated chicken in the dish.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan with panko breadcrumbs. Press the crumb mixture over the top of each chicken breast for full coverage.
  3. Bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the thickest part reaches 165°F. The surface should look browned and slightly crackled.
Serve
  1. Top the baked chicken with chopped fresh romaine and croutons. Drizzle with extra Caesar dressing and finish with shaved Parmesan.

Notes

For best browning, let the crust sit on the chicken for 2-3 minutes before baking so it adheres; use freshly grated Parmesan for maximum fragrance. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through (crust may soften). Freezing is not recommended for best texture. If you want a lower-fat option, choose a lighter Caesar dressing and use part-skim Parmesan.