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Italian Chicken Recipe
Our Italian chicken recipe will quickly become a family favorite with only five minutes of prep that gives you juicy chicken that comes out of the oven bubbling and full of tangy sweetness.
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Our Italian chicken recipe features tender chicken baked to perfection in a delicious sweet sauce. This recipe only needs five minutes of prep and will be a hit with the entire family.
Italian Chicken Recipe Ingredients
This recipe promises a delightful balance of flavors, where the sweetness of light brown sugar combines with the zesty dry Italian dressing mix.
The addition of paprika enhances the succulent boneless chicken breasts with warmth and smokiness, complemented by a touch of olive oil.
You’ll need:
- ¼ cup of packed light brown sugar
- 1 (0.7-ounce) packet of dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
- 4 (5-ounce pieces) of boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
PRO TIP:
You can use frozen or fresh chicken. Thaw frozen chicken completely. Drain any juices or liquid from the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.
Extra liquid thins out the sauce and will have a boiling effect on the chicken. The seasoning and brown sugar still has enough moisture to make a paste/sauce for the marinade.
Substitutions And Additions
VEGETABLES: Add cherry tomatoes and bell peppers to your pan, depending on your family’s tastes.
Let them cook away alongside your chicken for roasted veggies on the side.
CHICKEN: You could also make this delicious meal using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
CHEESE: Add mozzarella cheese on top a few minutes before the end of cooking to melt over the chicken.
Or add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before serving.
How To Make This Italian Chicken Recipe
The first step in this tasty entree is mixing up the marinade. Once that is ready, spread it on the chicken breasts, pop them in the oven and bake.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and the contents of the Italian dressing mix (do not prepare the Italian salad dressing mix; simply use the dry packet contents), and the paprika.
STEP TWO: Line a baking dish (9×13 works great) with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
STEP THREE: Place chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the chicken pieces with olive oil.
Sprinkle the brown sugar seasoning mix on both sides of the chicken, then, using your hands, rub the mix into the chicken.
STEP FOUR: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Use a meat thermometer to test the chicken for doneness – the internal temperature should be 165°F for cooked poultry.
STEP FIVE: Switch the oven to the broil setting and broil for two to three minutes or until the top of the chicken is lightly golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top after removing it from the oven as a garnish.
PRO TIP:
You can scoop some of the sauce up from the bottom of the pan and spread it over the top of the chicken before broiling.
How To Serve This Baked Italian Chicken Breast
There are so many options for side dishes to go with this Italian chicken dinner. Serve with green beans and garlic bread or dinner rolls for a complete meal.
You could also choose a yummy pasta dish such as our fettuccine alfredo for another simple side. The sky’s the limit with this type of easy entree.
There are so many Italian chicken recipes. We can help you out with a few of our favorites, such as our creamy Italian chicken and pasta and Italian chicken sheet pan dinner.
There are lots of other ways to cook chicken too! Check out our other easy chicken recipes, including chicken marsala and paprika chicken.
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
Storing This Italian Baked Chicken
If you end up with leftovers of this baked chicken, here are a few handy tips for storing them.
IN THE FRIDGE: Store this Italian baked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
IN THE FREEZER: Do not freeze cooked chicken that was previously frozen.
If you are making this recipe using fresh chicken, you can freeze leftovers of the Italian chicken breast recipe in an airtight container for up to three months.
Dinner time will be a snap with this simple Italian chicken recipe. Ready in just 30 minutes you can easily make this any night of the week. The chicken cooks up nice and juicy with a slight tang from the Italian seasoning alongside the sweet brown sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I serve with this easy chicken dinner?
Serve this delicious recipe with steamed or roasted vegetables and a pasta dish on the side for an easy dinner.
Can I use frozen chicken in this recipe?
You can use frozen or fresh chicken. Thaw frozen chicken completely. Drain any juices or liquid from the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Extra liquid thins out the sauce and will have a boiling effect on the chicken. The seasoning and brown sugar still have enough moisture to make a paste/sauce for the marinade.
Can I freeze this recipe?
You can freeze this baked Italian chicken as long as you are using fresh chicken. Previously frozen chicken should not be refrozen.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
- Chicken Casserole
- Oven Baked Chicken
- Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Italian Chicken Recipe
Our Italian chicken recipe will quickly become a family favorite with only five minutes of prep that gives you juicy chicken that comes out of the oven bubbling and full of tangy sweetness.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 0.7 ounces dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed (5-ounce pieces)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and the contents of the Italian dressing mix (do not prepare the Italian dressing; simply use the dry packet contents) and the paprika.
- Line a baking dish (9×13 works great) with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Place chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the chicken pieces with olive oil. Sprinkle the brown sugar seasoning mix on both sides of the chicken, then, using your hands, rub the mix into the chicken.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Switch the oven to the broil setting and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the top of the chicken is lightly golden and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to test the chicken for doneness – the internal temperature should be 165°F for cooked poultry.
- You can scoop some of the sauce up from the bottom of the pan and spread it over the top of the chicken before broiling.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Gloria says
One of our family’s favorite meals!
Tziporah Weider says
Loved this recipe!! Was so easy and delicious! Only thing I don’t love is how much sugar is in here.