This Baked Caesar Chicken is an easy casserole-style dinner featuring tender chicken breasts topped with creamy Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons. Everything bakes together in one dish for a flavorful chicken dinner with very little prep.
Recipes with just a few ingredients always seem to be some of the best, especially on busy nights. This recipe only uses one casserole dish, which means few dishes and less cleanup.
It’s also a nice way to change up chicken when you’re tired of making the same recipes over and over again. The creamy Caesar dressing keeps the chicken tender and flavorful while the Parmesan and croutons add a cheesy, crunchy topping.
I love serving this with a simple green salad, rice, roasted potatoes, or broccoli for an easy, complete dinner.
Other simple chicken recipes I like to add to my meal planner are No Peek Chicken and Swiss Cheese Chicken Casserole!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe practically makes itself letting the oven do most of the work
- Uses basic ingredients
- Dinner is on the table fast, perfect for busy weeknights
- Easy to pair with sides such as a vegetable or salad
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless Chicken Breasts: If the chicken breasts are thick slice in half lengthwise or pound them thin so they cook evenly. Boneless chicken thighs can also be used.
- Caesar Dressing: Regular or light dressing will both work, although a thicker creamy dressing will give the best flavor.
- Croutons: I used Caesar flavored croutons but you can use plain, garlic or Parmesan too.
- Butter: Melted butter helps coat the croutons to give the topping a crispy finish.
- Cheese: Shredded Parmesan cheese either freshly grated or packaged shredded.
How to Make Baked Caesar Chicken
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Slice or pound chicken thin if they are very thick.
Step 3: Spread the Caesar dressing evenly over the top of each chicken breast.
Step 4: Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over the Caesar dressing.
Step 5: Crush the croutons into smaller pieces and toss them with the melted butter.
Step 6: Sprinkle the buttery croutons evenly over the chicken.
Step 7: Bake covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches internal temperature of 165℉ in the thickest part.
Step 8: Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Sprinkle cooked and crumbled bacon over top before serving for extra flavor.
- Add another layer of cheese with mozzarella or your favorite kind of cheese.
- Mix a little minced garlic or garlic powder into the Caesar dressing before spreading it over the chicken.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t add too much Caesar dressing. You want enough to coat the chicken without leaving it swimming in dressing.
- Lightly crushing the croutons makes them easier to eat and helps create a more crunchy topping.
- If the croutons start browning too quickly, loosely cover the baking dish with foil.
- Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it to help keep it juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast and make sure internal temperature is 165℉.
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave to desired temperature.
Absolutely! Homemade Caesar works just as well as store-bought.
Recipe
Baked Caesar Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 Boneless Chicken Breasts, sliced in half lengthwise to make 6
- 1 cup Caesar Dressing
- 1 bag Caesar Croutons
- ¼ cup Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Slice or pound chicken thin if they are very thick.
- Spread the Caesar dressing evenly over the top of each chicken breast.
- Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over the Caesar dressing.
- Crush the croutons into smaller pieces and toss them with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle the buttery croutons evenly over the chicken.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches internal temperature of 165℉ in the thickest part.
- Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Helpful Tips
- Don’t add too much Caesar dressing. You want enough to coat the chicken without leaving it swimming in dressing.
- Lightly crushing the croutons makes them easier to eat and helps create a more crunchy topping.
- If the croutons start browning too quickly, loosely cover the baking dish with foil.
- Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it to help keep it juicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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