Easy Baked Ricotta Chicken Recipe
After a long day, this easy baked ricotta chicken recipe is a very comforting and cheesy meal. This easy chicken dinner doesn’t take much prep work, and your oven does all the work.
Why you’ll love it
This easy ricotta chicken bake is sure to become one of your new favorite recipes if you like ones with a lot of sauce. We love sauce here at S&L, and there is more than enough for a lot to pour over potatoes, rice, or veggies.
This baked chicken recipe is extra special because it has mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan in it. If you have a picky eater in your busy family, this is pretty much a sure thing. I mean, who can say no to tender chicken with three kinds of cheese and marinara sauce? Food that makes you feel good!
What you’ll need
Ingredients details
- Chicken: We’re cutting the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they cook faster, more evenly, and don’t overcook. Salt and pepper are used to bring out the flavors in the cutlets.
- Ricotta: Whole milk ricotta makes the creamiest result.
- Parmesan: is the second cheese that tastes great. You should definitely grate your own.
- We give a lot, but garlic is measured with your heart.
- Italian seasoning: is a mix of fragrant herbs that makes your food taste great. It’s great that it all comes in one jar!
- Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce. Mezzetta or Rao’s are my favorites.
- Mozzarella: is the best cheese to use on top of this chicken bake because it melts so well.
Kitchen tools
Take a look at Natasha’s favorite kitchen tools, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use a large glass mixing bowl to make the ricotta mixture and a 9×13 casserole dish to bake the chicken.
- It’s easy to cut the chicken with a chef’s knife, and this Microplane zester is great for the parmesan.
- An instant read thermometer will tell you if your chicken is done when it reaches 165F. Use silicone oven mitts.
What you need
- ◯ 2 big chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- ◯ Add salt and pepper to taste.
- ◯ 1 cup of ricotta cheese, whole milk is best
- ◯ 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ◯ 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ◯ 2 cups of sauce for marinara
- ◯ 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- ◯ Optional: fresh basil for serving
How to cook chicken with ricotta in the oven
This is a summary with pictures that show each step. The recipe card below has all the ingredients and steps.
To make the four smaller cutlets, cut the chicken in half and season it well with salt and pepper. Put the ricotta, parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Combine. In the meantime, put half of the marinara sauce in a baking dish.
Put the chicken in the baking dish and spread the ricotta mixture over each piece. Put the rest of the marinara sauce on top of the chicken. Wrap tightly in foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Take off the foil, add the mozzarella on top, and bake the chicken without the foil until it is done. You can broil it for a minute or two if you want. Let it sit for a few minutes, and if you want, add fresh basil on top.
How to Do It
- Set your oven to 375°F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise to make four thinner cutlets. Then add salt and pepper to the chicken.
- Put the ricotta, parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl and mix them together.
- Put half of the marinara sauce in a 9×13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
- Put the chicken in the casserole dish next to each other and spread the ricotta mixture on top of each piece.
- Put the rest of the marinara sauce on each piece of chicken.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and bake it for 20 minutes.
- Take the casserole dish out of the oven and take off the foil. Put the chicken back in the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until it reaches 165°F. This is when the mozzarella should be on top.
- If you want, broil it for a few minutes to brown the cheese, but be careful not to let it burn.
- Before serving, let the chicken sit for a few minutes. If you want, add more salt and pepper to taste, and if you want, add fresh basil on top.
Tips that will help
- If you can, I would definitely suggest using whole milk ricotta. It doesn’t have any grainy or crumbly bits like other kinds do.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken isn’t overcooked or undercooked, since chicken breasts can be very different sizes.
- For the best melting and flavor, grate your own parmesan. It really does make a difference!
Changes and substitutions
- To get your greens in, try adding one or two cups of chopped spinach to the ricotta mix.
- Add some crushed red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce or the ricotta mixture if you want it to be a little spicy.
- This baked chicken recipe is supposed to be quick, but if you want to make my Homemade Marinara Sauce, go ahead!
What to go with this chicken bake
Try a salad with my homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing to even things out. Simple, fast, and you know exactly what goes into it.
There is a lot of sauce in this! You can eat it with plain pasta, my Buttered Noodles, Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, your favorite kind of rice, or steamed green beans or broccolini.
Storing and using leftovers
- Put any extra chicken bake in an airtight container and keep it for 3 to 4 days.
- To keep it from drying out, the best way to reheat it is slowly over low heat in a saucepan.
- I don’t think you should freeze recipes like this one that have cheese and cream in them.
Notes
- There is a lot of sauce in this recipe. It tastes great on rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
- Ovens and chicken breast sizes are very different, so remember that the time is just a suggestion and it’s always a good idea to use an instant read thermometer.