This 5-ingredient oven chicken is the kind of no-fuss, crowd-pleasing dish I lean on when the day’s been long but I still want a real meal on the table. You literally throw raw thinly sliced chicken breasts into a deep baking dish, sprinkle on a few pantry staples, and let the oven do the rest. The white, granular topping you’ll see in the pan is just a simple mix of Parmesan and garlic salt that bakes into a savory, slightly crisp layer. It’s perfect for busy families, potlucks, or anytime you want something so tasty your friends will be asking how you made it with only five ingredients.
Serve this chicken with buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful juices, plus a simple green vegetable like steamed broccoli, green beans, or a tossed salad. Garlic bread or warm dinner rolls are great for mopping up the sauce at the bottom of the dish. If you’re feeding kids, offer ketchup, ranch, or barbecue sauce on the side for dipping—no judgment here. For a lighter option, slice the baked chicken over a big salad or tuck it into warm tortillas with shredded lettuce and cheese.
5-Ingredient Oven Chicken with Thinly Sliced BreastsServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds raw thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (the dry, granular kind from a can works great)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a deep baking dish (about 9x9 inches or similar) with cooking spray or a thin swipe of oil.
Lay the raw thinly sliced chicken breasts flat in a single layer in the bottom of the deep baking dish. It’s fine if they overlap a little, but try to keep them mostly even so they cook at the same rate.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and black pepper until you have a thick, spreadable mixture. It will look like a pale, granular paste from the cheese.
Drop spoonfuls of the Parmesan mixture over the top of the raw chicken, then use the back of the spoon to gently spread it so it mostly covers the chicken in an even layer. You should see that white, slightly granular topping across the surface.
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 22–28 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Thinly sliced breasts cook quickly, so start checking around 20 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
If you’d like a deeper golden top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2–3 minutes, watching closely so the Parmesan topping doesn’t burn.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices settle so the chicken stays tender. Spoon the saucy juices from the bottom of the dish over the chicken when serving.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can cut the thin chicken into strips or nuggets before baking; kids often love the smaller pieces, especially with a dipping sauce like ranch or honey mustard. If someone in your house isn’t a fan of garlic, use plain salt instead of garlic salt and add a pinch of paprika for color. You can also swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to lighten things up a bit while keeping it creamy. For extra flavor, sprinkle a little dried Italian seasoning or parsley over the top before baking. If you prefer a bit of crunch, add 1–2 tablespoons of plain breadcrumbs on top of the Parmesan mixture (this will technically add an ingredient, but you can skip it to keep the recipe to five). To make it more of a one-pan meal, tuck some quick-cooking vegetables like thin carrot coins or green beans around the chicken; just know they’ll pick up the garlicky, cheesy flavor. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken so it cooks evenly, and avoid rinsing raw chicken (it can spread bacteria around your sink). Use a clean cutting board and knife just for the raw chicken, and wash your hands, utensils, and any surfaces it touches with hot, soapy water. Check that the internal temperature of the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving, and refrigerate leftovers within two hours in a shallow container.
