Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe

Baked Pesto Chicken is a delicious and easy-to-make dinner that combines juicy chicken with flavorful basil pesto and gooey cheese. With just a few simple ingredients, it's the perfect meal to impress your taste buds and satisfy your hunger!

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Cheesy Pesto Chicken Pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 522kcal

Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Equipment

Ingredients

1/2 cup prepared pesto
1 lb boneless skinless chicken cutlets
Cooking spray
2 pints grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Fresh basil for garnish
Balsamic glaze

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Spray 11”x7" casserole dish with cooking spray
Coat chicken with pesto on both sides
Add tomatoes, olive oil, and a pinch of salt to the casserole dish and mix to combine
Place pesto coated chicken in single layer on top of tomatoes
Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, or a lid
Bake 25-30 minutes (cook time will vary depending on thickness of chicken)
Remove the casserole from the oven and remove foil. Check chicken for doneness. Chicken should be 150 degrees F in the thickest part when tested with an instant read thermometer. If chicken isn't ready, cover the dish with foil and place back in the oven until cooked through.
When chicken is cooked through, remove foil and top chicken with shredded mozzarella. Put the dish back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted - about 5 minutes.
Garnish with basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze
Serve with pasta noodles or a salad and enjoy!

Notes

Use a meat thermometer: To ensure that the chicken is cooked to perfection, use a meat thermometer to check its internal temperature. The chicken should be cooked to 150°F for safe consumption.

Halve the chicken: If your chicken breasts are thicker than 1/2 inch, consider slicing them in half lengthwise through the middle to an even thickness before cooking. This will help the chicken to cook more evenly and prevent it from drying out. Alternately, pound them to an even thickness before cooking.

Use fresh ingredients: Fresh ingredients like homemade pesto, basil, and grape tomatoes will maximize the flavor of this dish much more than using canned or pre-packaged alternatives.

Customize the recipe: Feel free to adjust the amount of pesto, cheese, and other ingredients to suit your taste preferences. Don't be afraid to experiment and add your own twist to the recipe.

Nutrition