Pickle Ranch Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken breasts soaked in tangy pickle brine and ranch spices, oven-baked to juicy perfection.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup dill pickle juice
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Seasoning & Coating

04 - 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix or 2 tablespoons homemade
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

→ For Baking

09 - Cooking spray or extra olive oil for greasing pan

→ Optional Garnish

10 - Fresh dill, chopped
11 - Sliced pickles

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour dill pickle juice and olive oil over chicken, coating all pieces. Seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line with parchment paper.
03 - Take chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard marinade.
04 - Combine ranch seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl.
05 - Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast, pressing lightly to adhere.
06 - Place chicken breasts in prepared baking dish. Lightly spray tops with cooking spray or drizzle olive oil.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove chicken from oven, let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped dill or pickle slices if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pickle juice does the heavy lifting so the chicken stays tender and flavorful without any fussy brining.
  • Everything comes together in under 15 minutes of actual hands-on time, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality chicken but uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
02 -
  • Patting the chicken dry before seasoning is the difference between seasoning that sticks and seasoning that slides off onto the pan.
  • Don't skip the marinating time entirely, even though 30 minutes is technically the minimum—this is where the magic happens and the pickle brine transforms regular chicken into something special.
03 -
  • If your ranch mix is old or you're suspicious about sodium levels, make your own blend using dried herbs from your cabinet and taste as you go.
  • Don't be tempted to skip the resting period—those five minutes make the difference between chicken that's juicy and chicken that feels dry.
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