Crispy Baked Caesar Chicken

As Juliana Hale, the recipe creator, puts it: 'Even if you think you can’t cook, this baked Caesar chicken will change your mind.' It’s a simple and flavorful dish with a creamy sauce and crispy crouton topping, ideal for quick weeknight meals.

Ingredients for Caesar Chicken

Here are the ingredients you'll need to prepare this delicious baked Caesar chicken recipe:

• Croutons: Use store-bought Caesar salad croutons or make your own at home. 
• Cheese: For the most delicious results, grate your own Parmesan by hand. 
• Butter: A tablespoon of butter lends richness and moisture to the crispy topping. 
• Chicken: This recipe serves four, so you’ll need four boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Seasonings: Simply season the chicken with salt and black pepper. 
• Salad dressing: Use store-bought Caesar dressing or make your own at home. 
• Sour cream: Sour cream gives the dish richness and tangy flavor. 
• Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the dressing mixture and helps bind it together. 
• Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a pop of flavor and color. 

How to Make Baked Caesar Chicken

Below is the complete step-by-step guide, but here's a quick summary of the process when preparing this baked Caesar chicken:

1. Prepare the crouton, butter, and cheese topping.
2. Flatten the chicken to an even thickness, season, and place in a greased baking dish.
3. Make the Caesar dressing mixture and coat the chicken evenly with it.
4. Top with the crouton mixture.
5. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink. Garnish and serve.

Test Kitchen Recommendations

This recipe was crafted in our test kitchen — here are some expert tips and tricks to help make the cooking process smoother and more enjoyable:

• To easily coat the pound and coat the chicken breasts: Place the croutons in a resealable plastic bag and smash them with a meat mallet. Remove the crumbs. Place the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the same bag and pound to an even thickness. 
• Crouton substitute: If you don’t have croutons, a cup of Panko bread crumbs will also work. Italian-seasoned crumbs are best, but you just add about ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning to plain Panko. 

Ideal Sides for Caesar Chicken

Juliana recommends pairing the Caesar chicken with a light salad or sautéed vegetables, such as zucchini and yellow squash.

Recipe tester Kathryn Standing suggests serving it over rice or pasta so you can enjoy every drop of the flavorful sauce.

Editorial input by Corey Williams

Ingredients List

• cooking spray

• 1/2 cup Caesar salad croutons, crushed

• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

• chopped fresh parsley to taste for garnish

Instructions

First, gather all your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C) and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Mix together crushed croutons, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Toss until well combined, then set aside.

Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them to an even thickness.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, then transfer the chicken to the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine salad dressing, sour cream, and flour, then stir until smooth.

Spoon the salad dressing mixture over the chicken, making sure to coat each piece evenly.

Top the chicken with the crouton mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the chicken is cooked through, with clear juices and no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer should register at least 165°F (74°C). Garnish with parsley before serving.

Nutrition Information (per serving)