Italian Dressing Chicken
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Italian dressing chicken is one of the easiest and most delicious chicken recipes. Chicken breasts are marinated in Italian salad dressing then topped with parmesan cheese and baked until incredibly juicy and flavorful. You will LOVE this recipe!
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can marinate chicken in Italian dressing, the answer from my kitchen is a big, enthusiastic yes. It works so well because the dressing already has everything a good marinade needs: oil, acid, and plenty of flavor.
I don’t stop at marinating, either — I cook the chicken right in the Italian dressing, too. That extra step makes the chicken breasts unbelievably juicy and packed with flavor. It’s one of those easy chicken recipes I rely on again and again because it delivers every single time.
My homemade Italian salad dressing is amazing in this recipe. It only takes about 5 minutes to make, and if you double the batch, you can use the rest on salads all week. But store-bought Italian salad dressing works as well. Choose your favorite brand and follow the recipe!
How long to marinate chicken in Italian dressing
Chicken marinated in an acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice) can be left for up to 24 hours. Beyond that point, the meat begins to break down, and its texture changes.
But don’t worry if you haven’t thought ahead. Even a 10-minute marinade while your oven heats up will still give the chicken plenty of flavor.
Pro tip: After dinner tonight, place some chicken breasts and Italian salad dressing in a bowl in your fridge, and they’ll be ready to go for dinner tomorrow!
Can I freeze chicken and Italian dressing?
Yes! You can freeze this recipe either before or after it’s cooked. Here’s how to do it:
- Freeze Italian dressing chicken raw: Add the breasts to a freezer bag, then pour the dressing into the bag. Store the chicken in your freezer for up to six months. To cook the chicken, thaw it in your fridge overnight, transfer it and the dressing to a baking dish, then bake according to the recipe directions.
- Freeze this recipe after it’s cooked: If you’ve made extra and want to save some for another time, put the cooled breasts and all of the sauce into a freezer bag. Cooked chicken will last for about 3 months in your freezer.
Serving suggestions
We love to serve this recipe with a big green salad tossed in an Italian vinaigrette and a side of roast potatoes. But there are lots of options for what to serve with this chicken. Here are a few other sides that go well:
Italian Dressing Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup Italian dressing (try our homemade Italian dressing)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Lay the chicken in a baking dish just big enough to hold the chicken. (See notes.) Pour the Italian dressing over the top. Cover the chicken then place it into your fridge for up to 24 hours, turning the chicken over once halfway through marinating. (See notes.)4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 cup Italian dressing
- Remove the chicken from the fridge then preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken breasts then continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with a few spoonfuls of the sauce in the baking dish over the top.½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
My family loved this!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for making it—so glad it was a hit with your family!
So good and simple
Can you use chicken legs in this recipe?
Absolutely! You’ll just need to increase the cooking time. They’ll take about 45-50 minutes.
absolutely delicious. I made this tonight using chicken thighs instead of breasts because that’s what I had on hand. It was wonderful. Due to a dairy allergy, I left the parmesian cheese off but it was still delicious. The pan juices were wonderful on the potatoes too. I will use this recipe again.
This meal was delicious… Loved it ..I added a few other things too
I made the Italian Dressing Chicken last night. I did not plan ahead but marinated it as the oven heated and it was still fantastic! A great, easy, delicious recipe!
I like to put some fresh mushrooms, onion, cauliflower and broccoli in a seperate bag and marinade in the dressing also. I add that to the baking dish w/ the chicken and bake it still adding grated cheeses at the end. I like to put mine on a bed of egg noodles w/ a side of mashed potatoes🥰Yummy💯
A very flavorful easy to bring together dish. I added sliced black olives and canned artichoke pieces to the dish before baking. Will make this often. Great recipe!
So delicious! I love the way the Italian dressing brings the flavors together.
My mother used to make a chicken recipe just like this! I made your delicious recipe. It came together quickly. The flavors are wonderful, just like I remembered.
I’m making this recipe as I write this but I marinated in a zip lock baggie and also added minced garlic. This morning, I put the chicken breasts in my slow cooker on low. It smells amazing in here already and I can’t wait to eat!
Going to try the homemade next time
But we were in a pinch so I got dollar store dressing and parm turned out good I also made some garlic butter and parm noodles that I put the sauce it made in that was awesome .. definitely want to make again but use chickens from the farm and homemade cheese and herbs . Definitely easy and satisfying for me and my family of 7
Great, easy recipe. I needed something sweet without totally throwing good eating out the window. Thanks!