Crispy Baked Caesar Chicken Recipe Is So Tender & Juicy (5 Ingredients, 30 Minutes) by Donna John

Boneless chicken thighs were on the menu for dinner last night. After seeing the recipe for crispy Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts, I knew how these chicken thighs were going to be prepared. The breasts in that recipe were dipped in mayonnaise, but I decided to change things up a bit and use creamy Caesar salad dressing. Delicious decision!

This chicken recipe has minimal prep and requires only five simple ingredients. Here is your short shopping list: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, panko breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free), Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes and creamy Caesar dressing. The chicken is dipped in the salad dressing, dredged in the panko, Parmesan and parsley flakes, and baked until golden, juicy and crispy. My husband said he didn't even need a knife to cut the chicken it was so tender!

If you don't have creamy Caesar salad dressing, you could use mayonnaise, Dijon mustard or ranch dressing. Actually, any creamy salad dressing would work (we love our salad dressing baked chicken recipes at 30Seconds!).

Serve these tender baked high-protein chicken thighs for dinner with your favorite side dishes. I served mine with Italian-cut green beans with bacon and an arugula salad with ranch dressing. 

Cuisine: American 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 - 6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free panko)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/3 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put a baking sheet, cast iron skillet or baking dish into the oven and turn it on to preheat to 425 degrees F. (I used a cast iron skillet.) Put the Caesar dressing in a small bowl and stir together the panko, cheese and parsley flakes in another bowl. Season the panko mixture with a little black pepper, if desired. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. (You could use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. If you use bone-in chicken, the cooking time will increase.)
   
2. Dip the chicken thighs into the salad dressing and then dredge in the panko, pressing so it adheres to the chicken.
   
3. Remove the hot pan from the oven. Drizzle the bottom with a little olive oil and carefully place the chicken in the pan.
   
4. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through cooking time. The chicken is done when it is golden, crispy and at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.
   
5. Serve the crispy chicken with your favorite side dishes. Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge.
   

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