Pickle Ranch Chicken Flavor (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts marinated in tangy pickle juice and ranch seasoning, then oven-baked until golden.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 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 additional olive oil for greasing the pan

→ Optional Garnish

10 - Fresh dill, chopped
11 - Sliced pickles

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a sealable bag or shallow dish and cover with dill pickle juice and olive oil. Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
02 - Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line with parchment paper.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade.
04 - Mix ranch seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl.
05 - Evenly coat both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoning mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
06 - Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and lightly spray with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with chopped dill or pickle slices if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pickle brine does all the work for you, keeping chicken impossibly tender while you do literally nothing.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour, making weeknight stress disappear.
  • You probably have these ingredients already, which means dinner costs less than takeout.
02 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning, or the spice mixture will slide right off and you'll end up with bland spots on an otherwise perfect piece.
  • Don't throw away that marinade thinking you'll use it again; once raw chicken has been in it, it needs to go straight in the trash for food safety.
  • If your chicken seems thick, pound it gently to an even thickness so it cooks uniformly and doesn't dry out on the edges while the center catches up.
03 -
  • Buy a good quality pickle juice without added sugar; some brands sneak sugar into the brine, which changes the whole flavor profile and can make the chicken taste off.
  • Let the chicken rest after baking, because those five minutes are when the magic happens and the juices redistribute instead of running all over your plate.
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