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Italian Dressing Baked Chicken

Italian dressing baked chicken with a zesty marinade that keeps the breasts juicy while they bake up golden. Parmesan tops add a lightly caramelized finish, and a short rest helps the chicken slice cleanly.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade & Chicken
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts About 2 lb total
  • 1 cup Italian dressing Store-bought or homemade
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Optional
For Baking
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For greasing the pan
  • 0.25 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped For garnish
  • 1 lemon, sliced For serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Place the chicken breasts in a large zip-lock bag or shallow dish and pour the Italian dressing over them to coat evenly.
  2. Add garlic powder, onion powder, dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using, then seal and coat the chicken again.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours, so the marinade flavor penetrates the chicken.
Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade, let any excess drip off, and arrange the pieces in the dish in a single layer.
  3. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the top of each chicken breast.
  4. Bake uncovered for 22–28 minutes at 425°F (220°C), until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the tops are golden with slightly caramelized edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the baked chicken for 5 minutes to help the juices stay in the meat.
  2. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon slices alongside pasta, rice, roasted vegetables, or a crisp garden salad.

Notes

For best texture, avoid overcrowding the pan so the chicken bakes evenly at 425°F (220°C). Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid drying. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes after baking. For a lower-sodium swap, use reduced-salt Parmesan and a low-sodium Italian dressing.