Easy Baked Chicken Pesto Recipe

Jump to Recipe

So many reason to love this Easy Baked Chicken Pesto recipe! It’s fresh, flavorful, and the best part is everything comes together in one dish! Enjoy as is for a low-carb meal or with pasta, rice, or potatoes for a more balanced meal.

Baked chicken pesto topped with melty cheese in a baking dish

Juicy tender chicken breasts with creamy pesto sauce, fresh tomatoes and melty mozzarella cheese! Are your taste buds dancing yet??

This pesto chicken bake makes such a perfect weeknight meal. Not only is it all made in one dish, but you get the full entree with the chicken and the veggies all made in one dish! Which is absolutely fantastic served on it’s own for a low carb meal. Or easily pair with some Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes or 15-minute Buttered Noodles to build a well-rounded dish!

So this one-dish meal comes together quickly just by mixing together a little pesto pan sauce in the baking dish you’re going to bake it in. While you’re doing this, the chicken will be marinating in a light olive oil marinade that will keep the moisture locked in, keeping the chicken moist and juicy!

Green beans and cherry tomatoes are the perfect compliment to the juicy chicken and bold pesto flavors! But you can definitely get creative here with the vegetables you used.

Baked chicken pesto in a baking dish before being baked

WHY YOU’LL LOVE

A one-dish full entree – you got your protein and your veggies covered!
BOLD flavors from the pesto – and even more when you drizzle balsamic glaze on top!
Low carb + High protein meal – pair with potatoes, rice or pasta for a well rounded meal.
Simple recipe, simple ingredients – all your normal stuff that you can find at your grocery store.
Delicious dinner recipe – and one the whole family will love!

INGREDIENTS

Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. I would suggest using more thin chicken breasts here (as opposed to thick). Thicker breasts will just take longer to cook and are easier to dry out. You can always tenderize or cut the breast in half lengthwise to make two breasts too.
Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, to help keep the chicken moist.
Vinegar – I used white wine vinegar but you could substitute for rice vinegar, distilled vinegar or balsamic vinegar if needed.
Garlic – highly recommend freshly minced garlic for best flavor, but pre-minced garlic or garlic powder will work in a pinch.
Seasonings – Grab some salt, pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning!
Butter – to add some rich taste to this dish! Use dairy-free if needed.
Green beans – I used fresh green beans. To save time, I bought my green beans already washed and trimmed.
Tomato – I used cherry tomatoes because they don’t let out as much liquid as other tomato varieties. You could also use grape tomatoes.
Pesto – I used basil pesto. Both homemade basil pesto or use store-bought basil pesto work here!
Basil – freshly chopped basil is going to be best for this recipe!
Mozzarella cheese – I would highly recommend freshly shredded mozzarella cheese here (it will be the most cheesiest that way!), but technically you can use any cheese here, even if it’s gouda, white cheddar cheese, or another variety of cheese. Fresh mozzarella cheese slices would also be amazing!
Balsamic glaze – optional but absolutely amazing on top!

HOW TO MAKE

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add all the chicken marinade ingredients to a large ziploc bag with the chicken. Let marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the pesto pan sauce. Add all the ingredients except the cheese to a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole dish and toss to combine. Position the tomatoes and green beans around the edges and place the chicken in the center (they will likely overlap some and that is okay).
Bake in the preheated oven uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked through (this will depend on the thickness of your chicken). Then sprinkle the cheese evenly on top of the chicken breasts and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is completely cooked through.
Top with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh basil. Balsamic glaze and parmesan cheese is also delicious on this! Enjoy as is for a lower carb meal or with pasta, rice or potatoes for a more balanced meal.

HOW TO STORE

Store any leftover chicken pesto in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Store everything together or divide the chicken, green beans and tomatoes into individual portions for easy meal prep lunches.

Baked chiken pesto with green beans and tomatoes served on a plate

BAKED CHICKEN PESTO RECIPE: FAQ

Can I make this Baked Pesto Chicken recipe gluten and dairy free?

Yes! This recipe is gluten free as written! To make it dairy free, just omit the mozzarella cheese or replace with a dairy-free alternative.

Can I use chicken thighs instead?

Absolutely. Chicken thighs will be a lot more tender and juicy and they would work great for this recipe!

How is this chicken pesto best served?

This a great dish to eat on it’s own for a lower carb option. For a more balanced meal, this dish pairs great with pasta, rice and potatoes. We love eating this with my 15-minute Buttered Noodles or Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes! It would also be delicious with some angel hair pasta and crusty bread!

Does this recipe work well for meal prep?

Yes, it holds up well in the fridge so it works great for meal prep. A great one to add to the meal plan!

Cheesy baked chicken pesto in a baking dish

MORE HEALTHY CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you try this Baked Chicken Pesto recipe and love it, please rate this recipe!

You can also tag me on Instagram or Tik Tok, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!

Yield: 6