Baked Ranch Chicken on a plate with salad topped with ranch dressing

Raise your hand if ranch is a staple in your house! It sure is in mine. Ranch dressing is life. I also like to find ways to use ranch seasoning for other recipes aside from dressing and dips. Ranch and chicken were meant to be friends and this baked (or air fryer) chicken was a big hit in my house!

This recipe is pretty similar to my Parmesan Baked Chicken. Instead of frying chicken in oil, I brush a bit of melted butter onto the chicken and then dredge it directly (no eggs are required either here!) with a mixture of panko bread crumbs, ranch seasoning, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Spray the chicken with a bit of cooking spray to help it turn nice and golden and then pop it in the oven OR in your air fryer!

I did use my air fryer for this recipe as pictured. Baking the chicken will also make it get nice and golden, but may not crisp up quite as much as what you get using an air fryer. Either method works well though!

Baked Ranch Chicken overhead shot on a plate with salad with ranch dressing

Recipe Tips and Suggestions:

    • Feel free to add more ranch seasoning if you want more of that flavor!
    • If you are baking the chicken in the oven and find that it’s not browning as much as you’d like, you can try switching the oven to broil for the last few minutes and this should help it brown a bit more.
    • Side suggestions: roasted potatoes, cheesy zucchini rice, creamy garlic noodles, or roasted broccoli.

      • Baked Ranch Chicken on a white plate with salad with ranch dressing with fork

      Baked Ranch Chicken
      Yield: 4 servings

      Baked (or Air Fryer) Ranch Chicken

      Prep Time 15 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Total Time 30 minutes

      Baked (or Air Fryer) Ranch Chicken - No frying required! Chicken coated with panko, ranch seasoning, & Parmesan cheese. Baked or air fried!

      Ingredients

      • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
      • 5 tablespoons butter
      • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
      • 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
      • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
      • cooking spray

      Instructions

      1. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/4-1/3-inch thick. Set aside.
      2. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. In shallow bowl or pie dish, stir together the panko, ranch seasoning, salt, and Parmesan cheese until well-combined.
      3. If baking in the oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Brush a piece of the chicken with butter on one side. Place buttered-side down into the panko mixture. Brush the other side with the butter, flip and coat the other side. Set aside on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken. Spray chicken with cooking spray.
      4. Oven instructions: Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 15-20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through. Air fryer instructions: Place 2-3 pieces of the chicken into the air fryer basket. Set to 400 degrees F for 17 minutes. Repeat cooking instructions for remaining chicken (see note).

      Notes

      If using an air fryer, make sure you do not overcrowd the basket, otherwise, the chicken won't crisp up as well. I usually have to do two rounds to cook it all. You can cover the first batch with foil to keep warm while the other cooks.

      Nutrition Information:

      Yield:

      4

      Serving Size:

      1/4th
      Amount Per Serving: Calories: 422Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1104mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 35g
      © Stephanie
      Category: Chicken

      Baked (or Air Fryer) Ranch Chicken

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