Recipe

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The famous Melt in your mouth chicken with an easy 1-step method to get the juiciest baked chicken ever!

Forget about dry chicken breasts. With this easy recipe, your chicken breasts stay perfectly tender and full of flavor every single time.

juicy baked chicken breast on a white plate with roasted brussel sprout halves and carrot slices.

The Best Melt In Your Mouth Chicken Recipe

I remember the first time my mom made this recipe. I was skeptical of using the mayonnaise coating, but I was quickly surprised by how much we all enjoyed it.

Melt in your mouth chicken gets its name from the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese coating that helps lock in ALL the moisture while giving it a deep golden brown color and flavor. This chicken dinner idea is a total keeper!

Ingredients

The coating for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts is made with mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. I usually bake this chicken along with carrots and Brussels sprouts, but it’s optional.

Top left: chicken breasts, shredded Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Brussels sprouts, and carrots arranged on a board. Top right: mayonnaise, Parmesan, and seasonings whisked together in a bowl. Bottom left: chicken breasts spread with the creamy Parmesan mixture in a skillet. Bottom right: baked chicken golden brown and bubbly on top in the skillet.

How to Make Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

Here's a quick view of the steps of this Melt In Your Mouth Chicken recipe:

Combine mayonnaise, cheese, and seasonings in a bowl to make the coating.
Coat the chicken with the mixture, ensuring all tops are evenly coated.
Bake the veggies in the preheated oven for 30 minutes if you’re serving this chicken with roasted veggies.
Bake the chicken for 45 minutes at 375F until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

How to Keep Chicken Moist While Baking

Here are simple tips to make sure your Melt in your mouth chicken bakes perfectly juicy:

If you purchased skin on cuts, don't remove it. It helps retain more moisture and flavor. If you're watching fat intake, before eating. In this recipe, I use skinless chicken breasts, BUT the coating acts as a barrier, just like the skin, to lock in moisture.

Check chicken doneness by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part. The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches 165F (74C) for white meat or 175F (80C) for dark meat.

chicken breast, sliced on a cutting board.

Do you Cover Baked Chicken with Aluminum Foil?

While covering chicken with foil as it bakes is often a good idea, I don't recommend it for this recipe. Foil traps moisture, and the condensation can cause the mayonnaise and Parmesan coating to melt off. Trust me; no foil will make moist chicken like that coating.

How to Reheat Leftovers

This recipe reheats super moist. I prefer to reheat in the oven, keeping as much of the chicken coating intact. Place the chicken breast in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Heat oven to 375F and heat for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through. You can heat it up in the microwave too.

What to Serve with Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

I like serving this dish with roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, but other tasty ideas include Southern mashed potatoes, roasted fall vegetables, easy popovers, and Parmesan green beans.

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken Recipe

one chicken breast on a white plate with sliced vegetables to the side.

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

The famous Melt in your mouth chicken with an easy 1-step method to get the juiciest baked chicken ever!

5 from 25 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
4 large carrots, sliced
16 ounces Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat oven to 375F, grease or line a 9×13 baking dish.
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheese, and seasonings.

Coat the chicken:

Place chicken breasts on the baking dish. Distribute the mixture over the chicken, making sure to coat all the tops.

Bake:

Place carrots and Brussels sprouts on a baking tray, drizzle olive oil, and season with salt. Bake the veggies in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Bake chicken breasts for 45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving with the vegetables.

Notes

If you want to cut down on the fat, you can use ½ cup mayonnaise with ½ cup plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt also can help the chicken retain moisture, and it adds a tangy flavor.