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Brown sugar Italian chicken comes out of my oven juicy, golden, and full of Italian flavor. Tangy, herby, and really fragrant from the dressing mix, with a bubbly sweet and savory coating. Save the pan juices for dipping every bite.
I almost always have what I need for this brown sugar Italian chicken sitting in my pantry. When I don’t have a dinner plan, I reach for a dressing packet, brown sugar, and paprika, and the prep takes me about five minutes.
I keep the brown sugar to a small amount on purpose, because I don’t want this to taste like sweet chicken. I was afraid a whole packet of Italian dressing mix would overpower it, and it doesn’t. The brown sugar balances the tangy, herby seasoning, so you taste the Italian flavor first and the sweetness second.
If you like Italian flavor on chicken, my Italian chicken pasta is the creamy one pot version. My easy balsamic chicken is another chicken dinner that finishes in the oven, with a balsamic glaze and fresh mozzarella.
WEEKNIGHT STAPLE
Why This Chicken Earned a Spot in My Weeknight Rotation
With three boys and a full-time job, I’ve always needed dependable chicken dinners that don’t require a long ingredient list or a lot of prep. This brown sugar Italian chicken is exactly that kind of recipe. It’s on the table in under 30 minutes.
What to Buy for This Chicken
The coating on this 3-ingredient brown sugar chicken is brown sugar, dry Italian dressing mix, and sweet paprika, with olive oil brushed on the chicken first.
- Dry Italian dressing mix: I use a Good Seasons packet, and other dry packets work too, as long as you use the mix dry and don’t make up the dressing. I haven’t tested bottled Italian dressing, and I would not use it as an equal swap. It adds a lot of extra liquid and throws off the balance with the brown sugar.
- Sweet paprika: Sweet paprika adds a savory note and a little color without any heat. Grab sweet, not hot.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: I developed this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, so that is what I can vouch for. I haven’t tested it with chicken thighs.
How to Make Brown Sugar Italian Chicken
Step 1: Mix the Coating Preheat the oven to 425°F. Stir the brown sugar, dry Italian dressing mix, and sweet paprika together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Coat the Chicken Line a baking dish with foil, then lay the chicken breasts in a single layer. Brush both sides with olive oil, sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over both sides, and rub it in with your hands.
Step 3: Bake, Then Broil Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F. If you like, spoon some of the pan juices over the tops before switching to broil for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden and bubbly.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you started with frozen chicken, don’t freeze the cooked leftovers.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
If this brown sugar Italian chicken is your kind of weeknight dinner, my quick and easy dinner recipes roundup has plenty more to pick from.
- Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Chicken Pot Pie Noodles
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken
Brown Sugar Italian Chicken
Ingredients
- 20 ounce (4 5-ounce pieces) boneless skinless chicken breasts thawed
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 0,7 ounce packet of dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and the contents of the Italian dressing mix (do not prepare the Italian dressing; simply use the dry packet contents) and the paprika.¼ cup packed light brown sugar, 0,7 ounce packet of dry Italian dressing mix, 1 tsp sweet paprika
- Line a baking dish (9×13 works great) with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Place chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the chicken pieces with olive oil. Sprinkle the brown sugar seasoning mix on both sides of the chicken, then, using your hands, rub the mix into the chicken.20 ounce (4 5-ounce pieces) boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Switch the oven to the broil setting and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the top of the chicken is lightly golden and bubbly.
Jenn’s Notes
- Pat the chicken very dry before the seasoning goes on. Extra liquid thins out the sauce and the chicken boils instead of baking.
- Frozen or fresh chicken both work. Thaw frozen chicken completely, drain off any liquid, and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Scoop some of the sauce from the bottom of the pan and spread it over the chicken before broiling.
- Use a meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should read 165°F.
Why can’t you freeze cooked chicken that was previously frozen? I have done it lots of times!
You’re absolutely right that you can safely refreeze cooked chicken that was previously frozen, as long as it was thawed safely in the refrigerator and handled properly. The concern isn’t food safety as much as quality.
Each freeze-thaw cycle can affect the texture and moisture of the chicken, making it a bit drier or tougher. That’s why I generally recommend freezing the finished dish only if the chicken was fresh to begin with.
If you’ve frozen, thawed, cooked, and refrozen chicken before with good results, there’s no reason you can’t do it with this recipe as long as proper food safety guidelines were followed. 😊
going to try
I cannot get Italian dressing. only seasoning. what should I do?
I couldn’t find it either, only ranch so I got that and I will add some italian seasoning to it.
How many is three?
amazing. we cook it in a skillet and put it on top of rice. we love this recipe
sweet paprika? can you just use regular paprika?
Can this be made in a airfryer
Quick and easy to make
Plus the chicken was juicy and absolutely delicious!