Creamy Baked Chicken Parmesan Dip

First, allow the ricotta cheese to drain in a fine-mesh sieve placed over a container in the refrigerator for an extended period, such as 8 hours or overnight.

Next, preheat your oven to a high temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).

Then, sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a pinch of heat from the cayenne pepper.

After that, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts until they are nicely browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side. Immediately submerge the chicken in cold water to stop the cooking process, and then stir to deglaze the pan. Transfer the chicken and its juices to a bowl to cool, about 5 minutes. Once cooled, chop or shred the chicken.

Now, combine the drained ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese, 8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese, and 1 ounce of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in a bowl. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon until they are evenly distributed. Add the cooked chicken, its pan drippings, and marinara sauce to the bowl. Use a fork to mix everything together until it is just combined.

Then, combine bread crumbs and the remaining olive oil in the bowl used for the chicken. Mix everything together until the bread is evenly coated.

Transfer the chicken mixture to an ungreased baking dish. Top with oiled bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons of Monterey Jack cheese.

Finally, bake the chicken mixture in the center of your preheated oven until it is nicely browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with parsley and serving.