This Easy Baked Pesto Chicken is a recipe that you will want to add to your easy weeknight dinner rotation. It is a dish that the whole family will ask you to prepare again and again.
Layers of basil pesto, tomato, panko, and two types of cheese over a thin, boneless, skinless chicken breast. Delish!
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This chicken dinner is so delicious you will not believe just how easy it is to prepare. And, if you are a pesto fan as much as we are, you are going to love it!
A simple side salad topped with Fresh Homemade Ranch Dressing would go perfectly with this chicken dinner.
If you have a favorite homemade pesto recipe you like, go ahead and use it. For convenience, I like using store-bought pesto. But, there are some good ones and some not-so-good ones. My favorites are in the refrigerated section by the fresh pasta.
Table of contents
Ingredients needed for chicken with pesto
- Chicken Breast - Boneless, skinless, thin cut chicken works best. You can pound a thicker cut if necessary.
- Olive Oil
- Panko Crumbs
- Mozzarella Cheese - I like the pre-shredded cheese for convenience, but go ahead and shred your own if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese - Again, I often buy the pre-shredded, but freshly shredded Parmesan can't be beat!
- Basil Pesto - Homemade is great! But for a quick meal I love the kind in the plastic containers in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Right next to the fresh pasta.
- Tomato - Roma or tomato on the vine work great.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
Other chicken and pesto recipes you might like
How to prepare this easy chicken recipe
- Set the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Cover a baking dish with aluminum foil. This makes for very easy clean-up.
- Shred the cheeses if necessary.
- In a small bowl mix together the panko, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a little olive oil. Set aside.
- Slice the tomatoes. Set aside.
- Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the baking sheet and then place the skinless chicken breast onto the baking sheet. Drizzle or brush with a little bit more olive oil over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the chicken. Next, add a layer of the pesto sauce to the chicken.
- Add a layer of the tomato slices.
- Finally, add a heaping pile of the cheese and panko crumb mixture over each piece of chicken.
- Place chicken into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, the panko is browned, and the chicken is cooked.
- The Baked Pesto Chicken should take about 12 - 15 to bake. Total cook time depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. I usually start keeping a close eye on the chicken after about 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Using a meat thermometer make sure the chicken reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
Step by step chicken dinner recipe with photos
- Set the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Cover a baking dish with aluminum foil. This makes for very easy clean-up.
- Shred the cheeses if necessary.
- In a small bowl mix together the panko, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a little olive oil. Set aside.
- Slice the tomatoes. Set aside.
- Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the baking sheet and then place the skinless chicken breast onto the baking sheet. Drizzle or brush with a little bit more olive oil over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the chicken. Next, add a layer of the pesto sauce to the chicken.
- Add a layer of the tomato slices.
- Finally, add a heaping pile of the cheese and panko crumb mixture over each piece of chicken.
- Place chicken into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, the panko is browned, and the chicken is cooked.
- The Baked Pesto Chicken should take about 12 - 15 to bake. Total cook time depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. I usually start keeping a close eye on the chicken after about 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Using a meat thermometer make sure the chicken reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
FAQ's and tips
Use thin-cut chicken breast for best results in this pesto chicken bake recipe.
Yes! It is unbelievably simple and tasty!
Maybe a side of garlic pasta, a simple salad, or a veggie like Oven Roasted Cauliflower.
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Recipe
Easy Baked Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Chicken Breast thin cut
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Basil Pesto
- 2 Tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup Panko Crumbs
- ½ cup Mozzarella shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a small bowl, mix the panko crumbs, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a couple teaspoons of the olive oil. Set aside.
- Drizzle baking sheet with olive oil and place the chicken on it. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the salt, garlic, and pepper over the chicken.
- Spread a teaspoon of pesto over the chicken.
- Add a layer of sliced tomatoes.
- Top with a pile of the panko and cheese mixture.
- Bake the chicken for about 12 – 15 minutes or internal temperature of the chicken reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Laura in the Kitchen.
Melanie Fernicola
I love, love, love this recipe! It's so delicious!
Brandy
Came out absolutely delicious! Big hit with whole family! I did half with roasted red pepper pesto because that is my favor and this is my new favor chicken dish!!
Lou
So many boneless skinless chicken breast recipes are not up to par. We usually end up doing a stir fry. That’s pretty easy but we stepped out of our comfort zone and used our own basil pesto and had no mozzarella so subbed Emmental because we had it and beautiful fresh tomatoes 3/4” thick.
It was spectacular! The chicken breast was moist and the outer was cheesy and crispy and he wants me to make it twice a week