This 5-ingredient oven baked Sunday dinner is exactly what I reach for on those busy weekends when we roll in the door after church, everyone is starving, and I have zero interest in babysitting the stove. The best part? You literally toss completely frozen raw chicken breasts into a glass baking dish, whisk together four simple pantry staples into a thick, creamy yellow sauce, pour it over the top, and let the oven do all the work. It’s cozy, comforting, and tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen—even though you actually prepped it in about five minutes before you left the house.
I like to serve this creamy baked chicken over fluffy white rice or buttered egg noodles so all that rich sauce has something to soak into. Steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a simple side salad balance out the creaminess and make it feel like a full Sunday dinner. If you’re feeding a crowd, add a basket of warm dinner rolls or garlic bread to mop up every last bit of sauce. Leftovers reheat well the next day for an easy lunch with a side of reheated rice or a quick microwave-baked potato.
5-Ingredient Creamy Baked Frozen Chicken BreastsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 frozen raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Do not thaw the chicken; it should go into the dish completely frozen.
Place the frozen raw chicken breasts in a single layer in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish, leaving a little space between each piece so the sauce can flow around them.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder until you have a thick, smooth, creamy yellow mixture.
Pour the creamy mixture evenly over the frozen chicken breasts, making sure each piece is well coated and the sauce runs down around the sides into the bottom of the dish.
Cover the glass baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to keep the moisture in and help the frozen chicken cook through evenly.
Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam), then return the dish to the oven and continue baking uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
Once done, let the chicken rest in the creamy sauce for about 5 minutes so the juices settle and the sauce thickens slightly.
Serve the chicken breasts spooned with plenty of the creamy sauce over rice, noodles, or potatoes, and enjoy your low-effort Sunday dinner.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little tang, swap half of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to lighten things up while keeping the sauce creamy. For extra flavor, you can add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper to the sauce before pouring it over the chicken. If your family loves cheese, sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella or more Parmesan over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking for a bubbly, cheesy finish. You can also nestle a handful of baby carrots or drained canned green beans around the frozen chicken before adding the sauce to make this more of a one-pan meal, just know the vegetables will be very soft and saucy. For smaller or thinner chicken breasts, start checking for doneness about 10 minutes earlier; for very large, thick breasts, you may need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes of bake time, checking with a meat thermometer to be safe. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the microwave with a splash of milk or broth if the sauce thickens too much.
