Italian dressing chicken is about as easy as dinner gets: chicken breasts soaked in zesty, herby bottled Italian dressing and baked right in it until juicy and tender, with an optional golden layer of Parmesan on top. It’s the weeknight recipe you can start in the morning or 15 minutes before the oven goes on, and it needs only two main ingredients.
How to make Italian dressing chicken: lay 4 chicken breasts flat in a small baking dish, season them with salt and pepper, pour 1 cup of Italian dressing over them and marinate 15 minutes to 24 hours, then bake the whole dish at 375°F for about 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Two main ingredients: chicken and a bottle of Italian dressing.
- One dish for marinating and baking.
- Flexible timing: marinate for 15 minutes or all day.
- Tangy, herby and juicy, with an optional golden Parmesan top.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken. Four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Thicker breasts take noticeably longer to bake, so try to pick pieces that are about the same size.
Italian dressing. One cup of bottled Italian dressing. If it doesn’t quite cover the chicken in your dish, add a little more.
Salt and pepper. Just a light sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper over the chicken before the dressing goes on.
Parmesan. A quarter cup of grated Parmesan is optional, for the top.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and black pepper, sprinkled lightly over the chicken
- 1 cup Italian dressing, bottled; use a little more if it does not cover all of the chicken
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
How to Make Italian Dressing Chicken
1. Arrange the chicken. Place the chicken in the smallest baking dish that will hold all of the breasts flat in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, then pour the Italian dressing on top.
2. Marinate. Cover and marinate in the fridge for as little as 15 minutes or as much as 24 hours. If the dressing does not quite cover all of the chicken, use a little more and flip the chicken over about halfway through the marinating time.
3. Heat the oven. When ready to bake, take the dish out of the fridge and heat the oven to 375°F.
4. Bake. Put the whole dish in the oven, dressing and all. Bake about 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Thicker breasts can take considerably longer.
5. Add the Parmesan. If using Parmesan, sprinkle it on top for just the final 5 to 10 minutes of baking. For a browned top, turn the oven to broil for the final minute or two.
6. Serve. Serve with lemon wedges or a sprinkle of fresh herbs, if you like.
How Long to Marinate Italian Dressing Chicken
The answer is: as long as your day allows, within limits. The chicken can go in the oven after just 15 minutes, or it can sit covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
| Marinating time | When it works |
|---|---|
| 15 minutes | The minimum; set it up while the oven heats |
| 2 to 4 hours | Set it up after lunch for dinner |
| Up to 24 hours | Set it up the night before or in the morning |
Always in the fridge. Cover the dish and keep it refrigerated the whole time it marinates, however short.
Use a small dish. Pick the smallest baking dish that holds the breasts flat in a single layer, so the dressing comes up around them. If some of the chicken pokes out, add a little more dressing and flip the breasts halfway through the marinating time.
Bake it in the marinade. There’s nothing to drain or discard. The whole dish goes into the oven, dressing and all, and the chicken bakes in it.
Go by the thermometer. About 25 minutes at 375°F is typical, but thick breasts can take considerably longer. The chicken is done when the thickest piece reads 165°F.
Tips for Success
Why isn’t my chicken done at 25 minutes?
Thick breasts need more time. Leave the dish in the oven and check every few minutes with a food thermometer until the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Why did my Parmesan burn?
It went on too early or stayed under the broiler too long. Add it only for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking, and broil for no more than a minute or two, watching closely.
Variations
- Parmesan crust: sprinkle 1/4 cup grated Parmesan over the chicken for the last 5 to 10 minutes, then broil a minute or two until golden.
- Stovetop with peppers: simmer the Italian dressing with garlic in a saucepan until it reduces by half, then pour it over pan-seared chicken with sautéed onion and peppers.
- Slow cooker: for a sweeter, hands-off version, try our slow cooker 3-ingredient brown sugar chicken, made with a packet of dry Italian dressing mix.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw frozen chicken in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter. Reheat covered until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve the chicken with a tray of roasted asparagus and carrots or a bowl of garlic broccoli olive oil pasta. Leftovers are great sliced over Italian chicken pasta. For more easy Italian-style chicken, try Italian parmesan chicken skewers, or switch flavors with creamy ranch chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Italian dressing go well with chicken?
Yes. Bottled Italian dressing does double duty here as the marinade and the sauce the chicken bakes in, so you get a full dinner from two main ingredients.
Can I grill or air fry Italian dressing chicken?
Yes, the marinated chicken can also be grilled or air fried. However you cook it, check that the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Do I drain the dressing before baking?
No. The chicken bakes in the same dish, dressing and all.
What should I serve on top?
Lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or the optional Parmesan crust.
Final Notes
Set the chicken up in the morning and slide the dish straight from the fridge into the oven at dinnertime. Tell me in the comments how long you let yours marinate.
Italian Dressing Chicken
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Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper sprinkled lightly over the chicken
- 1 cup Italian dressing bottled; use a little more if it does not cover all of the chicken
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the smallest baking dish that will hold all of the breasts flat in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, then pour the Italian dressing on top.
- Cover and marinate in the fridge for as little as 15 minutes or as much as 24 hours. If the dressing does not quite cover all of the chicken, use a little more and flip the chicken over about halfway through the marinating time.
- When ready to bake, take the dish out of the fridge and heat the oven to 375°F.
- Put the whole dish in the oven, dressing and all. Bake about 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Thicker breasts can take considerably longer.
- If using Parmesan, sprinkle it on top for just the final 5 to 10 minutes of baking. For a browned top, turn the oven to broil for the final minute or two.
- Serve with lemon wedges or a sprinkle of fresh herbs, if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
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