Ready in less than 30 minutes, this Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe is bursting with flavor for an easy weeknight recipe that’s so simple to make. Serve it with all your favorite sides for a healthy dinner you can feel good about!
Why You’ll Love this Pesto Chicken Recipe
We can never turn down a good chicken recipe. Crowd-pleasing and delicious, they’re seriously lifesavers when it comes to dinners the whole family will eat. With countless recipes like Chicken and Broccoli Rice, Pizza Baked Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, and so much more, we have endless options we cycle through. However, this Baked Pesto Chicken recipe is one meal we always come back to! It’s:
- Made with just 9 staple ingredients.
- Prepared in one dish.
- Baked in 25 minutes.
- Low-carb and high-protein.
- Perfectly tasty with all your favorite sides!
What Is Pesto?
Originating in Genoa, Italy, pesto is a type of bright green sauce used for pasta, chicken, vegetables, and more. comes from the Genoese verb “pestare.” Translated, it means, “to crush or pound.” The recipe has been around for hundreds of years and exists in countless variations. Traditionally, it is made with crushed garlic, pine nuts, salt, basil leaves, and cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano. These ingredients are crushed together in a mortar and pestle until a smooth sauce is formed. However, today, most people just use a food processor. No matter how you combine the ingredients, pesto is always good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are just a few simple ingredients you’ll need to have on hand! Be sure to read the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work the best to absorb the rest of the flavors and provide the most protein.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Due to the fact that there are so few ingredients, using a high-quality olive oil truly makes a difference in the taste of your pesto chicken recipe.
- Seasonings – We included salt, black pepper, paprika, and oregano, but feel free to experiment and included what you like best. An Italian blend would work well to condense the list!
- Pesto – To save a bit of time, pick up your favorite pesto from the store. Or, make your own with this simple recipe!
- Tomato – Use whatever tomatoes you have on hand. We used beefsteak tomatoes for easy topping. However, grape or cherry are excellent for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Cheese – We love using fresh Mozzarella, but Parmesan or even goat cheese are super tasty, too.
How to Make a Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe
In just 5 steps and less than 30 minutes, you’ll have dinner on the table with this scrumptious recipe. Take a look at an overview of the instructions below, but don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for complete details.
- Preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Add the seasoned chicken to a baking dish.
- Top with pesto and olive oil.
- Add the tomatoes and cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
Can I Make this Recipe Ahead of Time?
Yes! Leftovers are great to store in the fridge for easy
Then, just warm leftovers in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
Can I Freeze Pest Chicken?
Yes, this recipe can be frozen both cooked and uncooked and makes for a great freezer meal option.
To Store Cooked – Let your chicken cool, and store it in an airtight container or sealable bag for up to 1 month.
To Store Uncooked – Combine all of the ingredients, and store them in a sealable bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This baked pesto chicken is incredibly served over pasta, rice, or even cauliflower rice. However, it also pairs well with potatoes, side salads, and veggies. Some of our favorite ways to serve it are with:
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more family-friendly recipes? Try out some of these chicken dinners!
- Sweet, spicy, and loaded with veggies, this Asian Chicken Bowl is a healthy
meal prep recipe that’s versatile for all your needs. - Smothered with a rich, creamy sauce, this Herb Chicken is comfort food recipe no one can resist.
- Juicy and flavorful, this Roasted Chicken with Vegetables is a complete dinner ready in just an hour.
- Made with minimal dishes and satisfying to the whole family, meals don’t get better than this One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rotini!
Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts pounded thin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 4 Tablespoons prepared pesto more or less to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Arrange the chicken breasts in a baking dish. Sprinkle half of the seasonings on each side.4 chicken breasts, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons oregano
- Spread 1 Tablespoon of pesto on each chicken breat. Drizzle olive oil on top.4 Tablespoons prepared pesto, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Top with tomato slices and Mozzarella cheese.1 large tomato, 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video
Equipment
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a family favorite! Easy. Tasty. Budget-Friendly. I use the Presto Basil Pesto sauce (we like that one best). If I don’t make it for a few weeks, hubby and daughter will ask for it 🙂
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you, Kathy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
what is the side for this that you recommend? I’ll use thick chicken breasts.
Hi Kacy!
There’s not much that doesn’t pair well with this! Some of our favorite options include Summer Pasta Salad, No Knead Focaccia, Potato Wedges, and Green Goddess Salad.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This recipe was a hit in my house! I served it with some steamed broccoli. I used about 24 cherry tomatoes (sliced in half) because I didn’t have a large tomato. I also used Bel Gioioso fresh mozzarella (8 oz) which I cut into smaller pieces instead of shredded mozzarella. There was a lot of liquid at the bottom of the baking dish, do you think that is from the fresh mozzarella? It didn’t take away from the flavor but I was wondering why that happened. Thanks for a great and easy recipe!
It might’ve been the cheese or tomatoes! You could try salting them first next time. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
For peri peri chicken I had to wait for peri peri sauce to be bought but now making the sauce at home and cooking it in air fryer was fun it became a bit hard but practice will make me perfect I enjoyed it and pesto chicken ohhh my god that was out of this world I grounded all ingredients in a Morten thank you thank you for such lovely recipes
Thank you so much, Rizwana!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe
This Recipe was SO good and easy! Will definitely make it again SOON!
So much flavor!!
So glad that this recipe was a hit! Thanks for giving it a try! xo, Alia and Radwa
Just tried this tonight for dinner, I love it, easy, simple but tasty!
Seriously so tasty and fairly easy to make! Will definitely make again!
Fantastic! So glad to hear!
Help!!! Love this recipe. Make it all the time but my oven isn’t working. How would I do this in an air fryer? Making it for company tonight.
Yes, it can be done! We recommend seasoning the chicken, air fry at 380 degrees F for 8 minutes. Open air fryer, flip the chicken and add pesto, tomato, cheese, and air fry for an additional 5-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through! Note: The time will vary depending on your air fryer and the size of the chicken breast! Let us know how it turns out! xo, Alia & Radwa
This recipe is off the hook easy and delicious! One of the perks is making ahead and popping it in the oven 30 min before you plan to eat. I have made this several time but most recently for 6 out of town guests who loved it! My husband makes homemade pesto to make it extra special.
Love that you use homemade pesto, definitely takes it up a notch! xo, Alia and Radwa
This is so good and one of the simplest ones to make. I got the thin sliced breasts from the store so I didn’t have to pound them thin. It made it even easier. Delicious!
Yes!! We love how simple this one is too, glad you were able to find the thin sliced chicken! xo, Alia & Radwa
Absolutely mouth-watering and so easy! I will be putting this on rotation and can’t wait to make it with summer-fresh ingredients!
Yay! YES, it will be great with summer-fresh ingredients!
Amazing!!!! Even my picky eater husband loved it!
having this for dinner tonight!! any ideas on what to pair it with?
It would be delicious with a Salad
Or a pasta
Or this easy Focaccia Bread!
Made this tonight and it was a HUGE hit! I’d never tried pesto, so this was a great introduction. Keep up the great work, ladies! FYI, I had to cook my chicken for quite a while longer than yours, but my breasts were big.
So glad your family liked it! Yes, if the chicken is larger you will need to cook longer. Next time try pounding the chicken thinner so it can cook faster.
Made this tonight and it was a HUGE hit! I’d never tried pesto, so this was a great introduction. Keep up the great work, ladies! FYI, I had to cook my chicken for quite a while longer than yours, but my breasts were big.
Easy and sooo delicious!!! Even my super picky teenage daughter gobbled it up and asked for seconds!!
Hi Debra,
That makes us so happy!!! 🙂
Yay! That is awesome!