Pickle Ranch Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts soaked in dill pickle juice, seasoned, and baked for a flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ 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

→ Optional Garnish

10 - Chopped fresh dill
11 - Sliced pickles

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour pickle juice and olive oil over chicken, coating all pieces. Seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
02 - Set oven to 425°F and lightly grease a baking dish or line with parchment paper.
03 - Remove 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 blend evenly over both sides of each chicken breast, pressing lightly to adhere.
06 - Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Lightly spray with cooking oil or drizzle with olive oil.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Optionally garnish with chopped dill or pickle slices. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pickle brine keeps chicken impossibly juicy while the ranch adds savory depth without any fussy techniques.
  • From fridge to table in about an hour, making it your secret weapon for weeknight dinners when you're short on time but not on taste.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and low-carb, so you're not sacrificing flavor while eating mindfully.
02 -
  • Patting the chicken completely dry is non-negotiable—it's the difference between juicy chicken with a crispy exterior and chicken that steams instead of bakes.
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after baking; the residual heat continues cooking and keeps everything impossibly tender when you cut into it.
03 -
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can marinate multiple batches in the same pickle juice—it actually gets more flavorful as it sits, so don't be shy about reusing it up to three times.
  • The recipe doubles easily if you're feeding more people; just use a larger baking dish and add a few minutes to the cooking time to account for the extra mass.
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