Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade is one of the easiest ways to make tender, flavorful chicken with minimal effort. The tangy Italian dressing works as a ready-made marinade, infusing the chicken with herbs, garlic, and balanced acidity that helps keep it juicy. Whether you bake it, grill it, or cook it in a skillet, this simple marinade transforms ordinary chicken into a bold, restaurant-inspired meal. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, salads, wraps, or pasta dishes. If you love easy flavor shortcuts, this recipe is a must-try.
In our home, Olive Garden dressing is a daily go-to. Obviously, that iconic house salad never goes out of style and is easy to recreate at home and enjoy on a daily basis.
Plus, our kids love it as a dip for vegetables, especially our son who enjoys the dressing as a dip for cucumber slices. So we always have some Olive Garden dressing on hand at our house.
Apart from salads, did you know that Olive Garden Italian-style dressing is a versatile ingredient to use in your everyday cooking?
It provides a delicious base to marinate chicken and make delicious, juicy kebabs. We prepare them much like our baked chicken souvlaki kebabs, but with the Olive Garden dressing as marinade.
Plus, you can also enjoy Olive Garden dressing in creamy sauces for pasta.
And, keep this marinade in mind to use on marinated air fryer chicken wings.
Love Olive Garden dressing?
Try our creamy chicken pasta with Olive Garden dressing next!
Be sure to check out our collection of recipes and ideas for what to do with Olive Garden dressing. Plus, Our Best Easy Olive Garden Copycat Recipes.
Content in this Post
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients used in Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
- Recommended Equipment
- How to Make Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
- STEP 1 — Make The Olive Garden Dressing Chicken Marinade
- STEP 2 — Marinate Chicken in Olive Garden Dressing
- STEP 3 — Prepare Chicken Skewers
- STEP 4 – Bake Chicken Skewers in Oven
- What to Serve With Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
- Best Uses for Leftovers
- Storage Tips
- 🧊 Refrigerator Storage
- ❄️ Freezer Storage
- 🔥 Reheating Tips
- ⏳ How Long Does It Last?
- More Olive Garden-Inspired Recipes
- More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- You'll Also Love
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – You’ll love how easy it is to assemble this dish with prepared or homemade Olive Garden dressing.
- Versatile – This chicken dish can be incorporated into a variety of dinners. It makes for wonderful leftover meals.
- Family Friendly – Here’s a weeknight chicken dinner that the whole family will love. It’s flavorful, but not too much for picky palates.
- Juicy and Savory – This baked chicken recipe makes tender, juicy chicken that’s full of Italian-style dressing flavor.
Ingredients used in Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
- Chicken – Raw, boneless and skinless thighs or breasts, although thighs produce a juicier chicken kebab. Cut each chicken piece into cubes in roughly the same size.
- Olive Garden Italian Dressing – Homemade or store-bought bottled dressing.
- Sour Cream – Regular sour cream. Sub Greek yogurt or labneh if you don’t have sour cream on hand.
Recommended Equipment
A medium-sized mixing bowl, or Ziploc bag is perfect for preparing the marinade. We use metal skewers in our recipe, but you can use wooden and soak them beforehand. A bread pan is helpful to lay the skewers across while baking them in the oven.
How to Make Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
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STEP 1 — Make The Olive Garden Dressing Chicken Marinade
Pour the Olive Garden dressing and sour cream into a medium-sized bowl. If you don’t have sour cream, you can use plain Greek yogurt or omit and just use dressing.
NOTE: If you prefer to omit the sour cream you can marinate the chicken with only the dressing. We like to add a little sour cream to ours but you don’t have to.
Mix it together well.
STEP 2 — Marinate Chicken in Olive Garden Dressing
Cut the chicken thighs into cubes and submerge them in the Olive Garden dressing marinade.
You can leave the chicken in the bowl or transfer the chicken with marinade to a Ziploc bag. Ensure the chicken is well-coated with the sauce.
Allow to marinate, covered in the fridge, for at least 15 minutes or longer (ideally at least an hour and up to overnight).
STEP 3 — Prepare Chicken Skewers
Preheat oven to 400℉. Soak the skewers if using wooden skewers. Omit this step if you’re using metal skewers.
Remove chicken cubes from the marinade and thread them onto the skewers. Place the finished skewers across an oven-safe bread pan.
STEP 4 – Bake Chicken Skewers in Oven
When all of the kebabs are done, place the bread pan with the chicken skewers carefully into the preheated oven.
Cook for 25 minutes or longer, until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature that the USDA recommends to be at least 165℉. *Use a digital meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken to verify the safe internal temperature has been reached.
What to Serve With Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
- Olive Garden Salad
- Garlic Breadsticks
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Orzo Salad With Feta
- Asparagus Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Chicken Pasta With Olive Garden Dressing
Best Uses for Leftovers
This is a versatile chicken dish that can lend itself nicely to virtually any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
Our personal favorite way, while we’re still on the topic of Olive Garden dressing is this Chicken Pasta with Olive Garden dressing.
Storage Tips
🧊 Refrigerator Storage
Store leftover baked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Allow the chicken to cool completely before sealing to prevent excess moisture buildup.
For best results, store whole pieces rather than slicing in advance to help retain juiciness.
❄️ Freezer Storage
This chicken freezes well. Place cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
For easier reheating, slice or portion the chicken before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🔥 Reheating Tips
Reheat gently to avoid drying out the chicken.
- Oven: Cover with foil and warm at 325°F until heated through.
- Skillet: Add a small splash of broth or water and heat over medium-low.
- Microwave: Heat in short intervals, covered, to retain moisture.
Avoid overheating, as chicken can dry out quickly.
⏳ How Long Does It Last?
- Refrigerator: 3–4 days
- Freezer: Up to 3 months
- Reheated leftovers should be enjoyed within 24 hours
For best texture and flavor, this chicken is ideal within the first two days.
More Olive Garden-Inspired Recipes
- Spinach Artichoke Pasta
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Meat Sauce
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Olive Garden Salad
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Souvlaki in Oven
- Marinated Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
- Mango Chicken Curry
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long should I marinate chicken in Olive Garden dressing?
Does the dressing keep the chicken from drying out?
Can I meal prep this recipe?
What temperature should I bake marinated chicken?
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
You’ll Also Love
This Olive Garden-inspired spinach artichoke dip pairs so well with oven-baked marinated chicken kebabs.
Easy Oven-Baked Chicken With Olive Garden Dressing as Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken Thighs, raw, boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into cubes
- ¼ Cup Olive Garden Dressing, homemade or bottled dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream, optional, or sub plain Greek yogurt. We like to add a little sour cream or yogurt but it is not necessary. You may need to add more Olive Garden dressing to ensure the chicken is fully coated.
Instructions
Make The Olive Garden Dressing Chicken Marinade
- Pour the Olive Garden dressing and sour cream into a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix well.
Marinate Chicken in Olive Garden Dressing
- Cut the chicken thighs into cubes and submerge them in the Olive Garden dressing marinade. You can leave the chicken in the bowl or transfer the chicken with marinade to a Ziploc bag. Ensure the chicken is well-coated with the sauce.Allow to marinate, covered in the fridge, for at least 15 minutes or longer (ideally at least an hour and up to overnight).
Prepare the Chicken Skewers
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Soak the skewers if using wooden skewers. Omit this step if you're using metal skewers. Remove chicken cubes from the marinade and thread them onto the skewers. Place the finished skewers across an oven-safe bread pan.
Bake Chicken Skewers in Oven
- When all of the kebabs are done, place the bread pan with the chicken skewers carefully into the preheated oven. Cook for 25 minutes or longer, until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165℉. *Use a digital meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken to verify the safe internal temperature has been reached.
Video
Additional Information
Nutrition
Note
This recipe is provided for informational purposes only. The above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide. Please use proper food safety practices, always use a food thermometer to ensure safe cooking temperature, and consult a professional if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
