3-Ingredient Brown Sugar Italian Chicken – this easy Italian chicken recipe is sure to earn a spot in your dinner rotations! Only three basic ingredients – brown sugar, Italian dressing mix, and chicken. So easy and packed full of amazing flavor! Ready to eat in under 30 minutes! Serve this tender chicken with roasted veggies and garlic bread. The whole family loved this easy dinner!
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Pin This RecipeEasy Italian Chicken Recipe
This 3-ingredient Brown Sugar Italian Chicken is absolutely delicious. The combination of the sweetness from the brown sugar, the tanginess of the Italian dressing, and the juicy tenderness of the chicken creates a mouth-watering taste that is hard to resist. The brown sugar caramelizes on the chicken, creating a rich and flavorful glaze that enhances the taste of the dish even further. The whole family gobbled it up and asked for seconds! Add this to your menu ASAP!
How to Make 3-Ingredient Brown Sugar Italian Chicken
This baked chicken recipe is effortless to make with only three simple ingredients. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray or drizzle a little olive oil over the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, stir together a packet of Italian dressing mix and brown sugar. Spread sugar mixture onto a plate or shallow dish. Coat both sides of the chicken with the brown sugar mixture. Place the chicken in a baking dish that has been lined with aluminum foil. Top chicken with any remaining brown sugar mixture. Bake in a preheated oven until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. Turn the oven broiler on and broil chicken until brown sugar caramelizes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- I use a packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.
- Do NOT make the dressing. You are only going to use the contents of the packet in the recipe.
- You can use this recipe with any cut of chicken that you prefer.
- Chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins, chicken cutlets, chicken thighs, chicken wings, or chicken drumsticks/legs.
- You can use boneless or bone-in chicken. Adjust the cooking time to ensure an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- I highly suggest lining your pan with foil. The brown sugar mixture gets sticky as it bakes. After dinner, throw away the foil, and the dishes are done! Easy prep and easy cleanup. It just doesn’t get any better!
- Feel free to add more herbs to the dish. Our favorite variations/additions are:
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- paprika
- oregano
- parsley
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Italian Chicken
This juicy chicken has been on repeat at our house. Our go-to side dish is roasted vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, eggplant, potatoes, and bell peppers. Another popular option is pasta, either served with a simple tomato sauce or a creamy Alfredo sauce. Our favorite Creamy Italiano Salad can also be a great choice. Don’t forget the garlic bread! Whether you opt for veggies, pasta, salad, or bread, there are plenty of options to choose from when serving Italian chicken.
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3-Ingredient Brown Sugar Italian Chicken
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 (0.7-oz) packet Italian Dressing Mix
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Combine the brown sugar and Italian dressing mix. Coat both sides of the chicken with the brown sugar mixture. Place in prepared pan. Top chicken with any remaining brown sugar mixture.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Turn broiler on HIGH. Broil chicken until brown sugar caramelizes, about 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn!
Notes:
I used a packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.
Do NOT make the dressing. You are only going to use the contents of the packet in the recipe.Steph
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OMG!!! Made this tonight and it was a hit. So delicious. Well definitely make it again.
My husband and I made the brown sugar chicken a week ago so fabulous -having company soon -plan to make this dish-thanks so much for this recipe
I would also like to comment on your really cool Meow Monday pics – I love them – About three years ago we rescued our two Ginger cats from a cardboard box in the desert -we live in Arizona -Lake Havasu-so it was just starting to get hot – these two are inseparable -as sisters – when we found them they barely had any hair -so skinny – and so so sick It took 6 months of vet visits every week -lots of love – and money to bring them to their happy healthy adorable selves they are today – They have a lot of brothers and sisters to play with -so I know they are very happy in their home-their nicknames are lovebugs and do they live up to that -just wanted to share this with you -I relate so much to your pics because of these two -they are never apart -sleep together -eat together -walk each other to the litter box -just plain funny most of the time -but I have to say best cats I have ever owned in my life and I would do it all over again just to have these two in my life-so keep up the pics and your recipes -Thanks Carol
Aussie chick here – was soooo excited to see this recipe until i read “Italian dressing mix” – I have never seen that here in Australia. Anyone know what I could use as a substitute or can send me the ingredients in the packet mix so I can make it up myself. This looks incredible!
Hi Lisa, I went on Google and found recipes for dry Italian Dressing Mix to make at home, ingredients are pretty standard in a pantry. Good Luck!
Surprise dinner tonight, we have light & dark brown sugars. Which would be the better way to go? Thanks Jerry.
I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark if you prefer
No replies yet to air fryer questions except using baking dish? Why is that? Because it’s messy? What about parchment paper on the bottom?
Make it however you want.
Could you throw all this in a crock
Pot!
Delicious!!
Sounds wonderful. I just bought a 5# bag of breasts and this will be the first thing out of the bag I am going to try. I know I am going to love it and so will the boys.
I’m making this for dinner and haven’t made it before. For those of you who have made it, do you think it would be good with red pepper flakes for a kick of heat?
If you like a kick of heat, then go for it.
I have been making this for years and always add red pepper flakes. Because of the brown sugar, I add 1/4 teaspoon. I also use Italian seasoning mix because I always have that, and never the dressing mix and because of that also add a small amount of salt, like a few shakes. We really love it this way!
If I use chicken tenderloins would you bake it for the same amount of time?
Tenderloins don’t take as long to cook as breasts.
What is a broiler? Can just turn the heat up in oven for a couple of minutes. I am not a very good cook, so if question raises eyebrows, so be it
The broiler is when the oven only uses the top heating element to add direct heat to the food. Broiling places food close to your oven’s heating element so that it can quickly cook, brown, or caramelize. In this recipe, you are using the broiler to carmelize the brown sugar on the chicken to give it a nice color.Y You can absolutely skip that step if you prefer. The chicken will be cooked, but you might not have the same color as in the pictures.
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Can you use thighs? Would it change the cook time. I’ve made this several times and love it, but I only have boneless skinless thighs tonight!
Thanks!
You can use any cut of chicken you prefer. You will need to adjust the cooking time to ensure an internal temperature of 165ºF.
I have made this several times, easy and yummy everytime.
SO glad you enjoyed it, Catherine!
Love this! Do you have to cover with foil when baking?
I do not cover it when baking
Can you do this on stove top
Can I use chicken thighs on this
Yes
Great recipe! my whole family lived it, including all the grandkids! They want me to make it again next week.
I just made it!!! The chicken was very moist, however the sauce stuck to the foil and not the chicken….I coated the breast with the brown sugar 1/2 cup and 1 packet of Good
Season Italian dressing (dry) I mixed the sugar and the packet of dressing together, then coated the chicken with it….what did I do wrong??
I spray the foil with non stick spray. That usually helps
Did you pat your chicken dry? That might help the mixture adhere to the chicken. I am just guessing.
I didn’t
What other sides goes best with this dish?
I would suggest some sautéed green beans amandine, and maybe some garlic/herb cous cous or parmesan cous cous. A good sun dried tomato risotto would be a great accompaniment to it as well.
A nice tossed green salad! Hope some of these suggestions help.
Could I use this on bone-in chicken thighs,if so how long should I cook it & do I leave it on the same temperature.
This is my go to recipe for a fantastic simple meal!!!! I have it in the oven right now! However tonight I am baking Pork loin boneless steaks….have used pork many times! These pork loins are about 1 inch thick and I am baking them at 425 for 40 minutes….LOVE this simple, super easy recipe!!!
I have 4 bone in chicken thighs ( fairly good size) do I need to adjust the amounts of the Italian dressing and brown sugar. What about bake time ??