Baked Caesar Chicken (three ingredients)
Store bought salad dressing is a quick and easy flavor booster to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I often use Italian dressing but Caesar dressing, packed with garlicky, lemony, cheesy flavor, is the perfect match for mild-mannered chicken breast — and you can even skip the step of marinating. Simply coat the chicken with a cup of dressing, send it to the oven, and the flavors will infuse into the meat and season it as it bakes. Since there’s plenty of salt and pepper in the dressing, you don’t need to season the chicken with any extra.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
1 cup creamy Caesar dressing
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF.
Pound 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts one at a time: Place 1 chicken breast in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and pound with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside and repeat with the remaining breasts.
Pour 1 cup creamy Caesar dressing in a baking dish large enough to fit the chicken in a single layer. Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish, then flip them so that they are evenly coated with dressing.
Bake until the chicken is golden-brown, cooked through, and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Just before chicken is done, remove from oven, sprinkle cheese on top, put back in oven and let melt. Serve the chicken garnished with the parsley if using.
