Dilly Parmesan Chicken

Dilly Parmesan Chicken

Hello! I'm back and have nearly survived my first semester of grad school! I actually have to finish my last final, which is due Monday but I'm taking a break from it for the rest of the evening. My goal is to finish tomorrow before I go to my parents' for dinner and before work on Monday so I don't have to take time off work and stress about it. Fingers crossed! And cross your toes that my grades come back good!! Then I'll have a month off from school and I have several recipes lined up to post!

I am sharing one of our favorite dishes with you today! I like the fact that this dish takes only minutes to prepare before it goes in the oven and the end result is very impressive. (To me this also means I can clean or prepare the side dish or study.) The first time I made this dish, Joe said it was delicious, which is a rare term he uses so this was a huge compliment. And he didn't catch himself before he could take it back!

I originally found a version of this recipe floating around Pinterest, which claims to melt in your mouth. Although the original recipe says it's for four chicken breast halves, the mayo and parmesan mixture made so much that I immediately saved half of it to make again. Since then, I've reduced the amount of the mixture and changed it to incorporate different flavors which is reflected below.

Also, this recipe is gluten-free! Just make sure that the dip mix that you buy doesn't contain gluten. I used Simply Organic's Creamy Dill Dip mix for this recipe.

When I received some spinach and herb dip from my September foodie pen pal, Angela, I thought I would give the recipe a try but with my variations and using the dip mix. I'm presenting this recipe to you now with a dill flavor, but you can use other dip flavors instead (like ranch or the spinach and herb that I've also used). I'm looking forward to trying this with other dip mixes, maybe a green chile or taco seasoning.

I served this chicken with a simple spinach salad with feta, slivered almonds, and either strawberries or bluberries with a mixture of olive oil and basalmic vinegar.

I hope you give this recipe a try and that you enjoy it. It is so easy and full of flavor, it's sure to pleaser!

I used a spinach and herb dip mix for this one

Another view of the chicken with the spinach and herb mix

Dilly Parmesan Chicken
Adapted from Food.com

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 c. mayo (I used olive oil mayo)
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 1/2 Tbs. dill dip mix (or other dried dip mix-- don't use prepared dip! For gluten-free, make sure the dip mix doesn't contain gluten.)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, parmesan cheese, dill dip mix, garlic powder, and pepper.

Spoon dill mixture equally over each chicken, ensuring that the entire chicken is covered.

Place dish in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown and the internal meat temperature is 165.

Once chicken is done, let rest for about 5 minutes until serving. Enjoy!