Creamy Ricotta Chicken Bake (Printable Version)

Creamy ricotta-topped chicken with mozzarella and golden herbed breadcrumbs, ready in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Ricotta Mixture

02 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

09 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free optional)
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a single layer.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and well blended.
04 - Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly over each chicken breast, spreading it to cover the entire surface.
05 - Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the ricotta-covered chicken breasts.
06 - In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with olive oil and dried Italian herbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the mozzarella layer.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the topping is golden brown.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ricotta mixture keeps the chicken incredibly moist even if you accidentally overcook it by a few minutes.
  • It looks like you spent all day on it but the prep is barely fifteen minutes of hands on work.
02 -
  • Do not skip the five minute rest because cutting into it immediately means all those beautiful juices run out onto the plate and the chicken dries out.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, butterfly them or pound them slightly so the ricotta layer does not burn before the chicken cooks through.
03 -
  • Let the ricotta drain in a fine mesh strainer for ten minutes before mixing if it looks watery, because excess moisture is the enemy of a good crust.
  • Broil for the last two minutes if your topping needs more color but watch it every second because the line between perfectly golden and irreversibly burnt is shockingly thin.

Go Back