Easy Baked Panko Chicken
Panko Chicken is a quick and easy dinner recipe, featuring chicken breasts crusted with Parmesan and Panko then baked until tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside!
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If you enjoy easy chicken dinners, you'll also love Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, Chicken à la King, and Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies!
There are certain dinners that I know are going to be received with cheers instead of grumbles by my three sometimes-picky children. And this scrumptious Panko Chicken is one of them!
In case you've never had Panko crusted chicken before, this shortcut recipe is as simple as smothering chicken breasts with a simple, creamy topping, generously sprinkling with a combo of Panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan, and then popping in the oven. No dipping and breading...no mess! The resulting baked Panko chicken is juicy on the inside with a crunchy, golden crust on top. Delicious!
Ingredients
Making Panko Chicken requires just a handful of ingredients:
- Chicken breasts. The size of your chicken breasts will dictate the ultimate cooking time. You could also make this recipe using chicken tender, obviously cutting back on the cooking time.
- Mayonnaise + sour cream. This Panko Chicken recipe calls for a 50/50 ratio, but you could honestly tweak that and use more of one than the other. Similarly, you may substitute plain yogurt or Greek yogurt for the sour cream, if you like. If you end up using more sour cream/yogurt than mayo, however, you may want to season the mixture with a bit of salt and pepper to keep it from being bland.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated is recommended, but pre-grated will work as well.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Using Panko instead of regular breadcrumbs will give you the most crunch for your buck. 😉
- Garlic salt + pepper. For seasoning the chicken and the Panko breading mixture.
How to Make Panko Chicken
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth.
- In another small bowl, combine the grated Parmesan, Panko breadcrumbs, garlic salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Arrange chicken breasts on your prepared baking sheet and season them with garlic salt and pepper.
- Divide the mayonnaise mixture between chicken breasts, spreading over the tops and down the sides of each one.
- Evenly sprinkle the Panko breading on top of each chicken breast, covering and lightly pressing it into the mayonnaise mixture.
- Bake Panko crusted chicken for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is golden brown, taking care not to overcook.
- Serve immediately and enjoy! 🙂
Tips, Tricks, & Special Equipment
- For a dairy-free version, you may make your Panko breaded chicken using all mayonnaise (in lieu of half sour cream/yogurt).
- If you don't have Panko breadcrumbs, regular bread crumbs (plain or seasoned) will work perfectly fine. I just like Panko because they're extra crunchy.
- For even baking, make sure your chicken breasts are about the same size and thickness.
- This Panko Chicken turns out really moist and juicy, as long as you're careful not to overcook it! If you're worried about overcooking, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a breast and remove the pan from the oven when it reaches 165°F.
There's really not much more to say about this tender, juicy Panko Chicken. It's as straightforward and yummy as it sounds!
Everyone loves its creamy coating and crunchy, Parmesan and Panko crusted topping.
Enjoy it as-is or serve alongside some BBQ Sauce or Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.
Serve it with roasted veggies and a crisp green salad and you've got one winner, winner of a baked chicken dinner!
More Yummy Chicken Dinners
- Copycat Shake 'n Bake Chicken Nuggets
- Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Orzo Bake (Dump-and-Bake Casserole)
- Italian Baked Chicken
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Easy Baked Panko Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream, OR plain yogurt
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt, plus additional for seasoning chicken
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and sour cream. In another small bowl, combine Parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper.
- Lay chicken breasts on baking sheet. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Spread one-fourth of the mayonnaise/sour cream mixture on top and down sides of each chicken breast. Sprinkle one-fourth of the Parmesan/Panko mixture over the top of each chicken breast, covering the mayonnaise mixture and lightly pressing the crumbs into it.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and topping is golden brown , taking care not to overcook.
Notes
- You may tweak the ratio of the mayonnaise to the sour cream or yogurt, using more or less of either.
- For a dairy-free version, you may use all mayonnaise (in lieu of half sour cream/yogurt).
- If you don't have Panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs (plain or seasoned) will work perfectly fine. I prefer Panko because they're extra crunchy.
- Chicken breasts that are close to the same size will cook more evenly.
- This chicken turns out really moist and juicy, as long as you're careful not to overcook it! If you're worried about overcooking, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a breast and remove the pan from the oven when it reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
Adapted from Hellmanns.com.
Post originally published on October 11, 2013, and updated on February 19, 2020, and April 21, 2023.
I have not made this recipe yet but am wondering if the 2 tbls of panko is enough to coat 4 chicken breasts? Why not brush the ingredients on and then roll in panko?
Hi Diana! Mixed with the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of panko is enough to add crunch to the chicken breast topping in this recipe. If you would like to brush and roll the chicken breasts in the Parmesan/panko mixture, you would need to add more. The panko might also get a bit soggy on the bottom during baking. But I hope it turns out well if you decide to give it a try! 🙂