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Get It NowLet me show you one of my all-time favorite go-to recipes: pesto chicken. This dish is an absolute lifesaver for those hectic evenings when you need something delicious on the table in a flash. It’s similar to my pesto salmon, and one of my oldest last-minute “lazy chicken dinners“. Because, let’s face it, we all have those days when cooking feels like a marathon. Make this pesto chicken recipe with me for a simple meal that everyone in your family will be happy with — without much effort on your part!
Why You Need My Pesto Chicken Recipe
- Juicy, tender chicken with fresh pesto flavor – Say goodbye to dry chicken breast! The pesto sauce I use for this dish not only adds a fresh, herby flavor, but it also locks in moisture.
- 5 simple ingredients – With common staples like chicken breast, mozzarella, basil pesto, and tomatoes, it’s got lots of classic Italian flavors without much to it. This dish layers complex flavors in the simplest way possible.
- Quick & easy – I love making this pesto chicken on busy weeknights. You only need to prep it for 5 minutes and the oven does the rest, all in under 30 minutes.
- Versatile – What I love most about this dish is its versatility. It’s an easy quick dinner, but also great for meal prep (the leftovers store so well) or a special meal (just look at those colors — isn’t it pretty?!).
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken pesto recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – Look for ones that are about the same size, so they cook evenly. You could also use boneless chicken thighs, but the bake time will differ.
- Basil Pesto – When I have time, I make my own homemade pesto using fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic. (It’s also great for making pesto eggs!) Store-bought pesto works just fine, though — I use the one from Costco when I’m in a hurry.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – This will come in a ball or a log, and contains more moisture than “regular” semi-firm mozzarella. Regular shredded or sliced mozzarella does work as well, but I think it tastes better with fresh.
- Tomatoes – Some pesto chicken recipes are basically just chicken and pesto, but I think the sweetness of tomatoes adds the perfect contrast here. The size of Roma tomatoes works well for this dish, but you could use any sliced tomato. Sometimes I even tuck sun-dried tomatoes underneath the cheese.
- Fresh Basil – Fresh herbs make a huge difference here, especially since we finish with them after cooking the chicken.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Pesto Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season your chicken and top with pesto. Arrange the chicken breasts in a large baking dish (I love this one), and season with salt and pepper. Spread pesto over each one.
- Bake, but not until done. Place the pesto chicken in the oven, and bake until it’s almost fully cooked, but not cooked through all the way.
- Add toppings and bake again. Add the mozzarella on top of the chicken breasts, then add the tomato slices. Continue baking until the chicken is cooked through.
- Let it rest. Then, I highly recommend serving pesto chicken with fresh basil ribbons on top! I like to add a few clusters of whole leaves, too.
My Recipe Tips
- You can brown the chicken if you like. If you prefer a crisp exterior, you can pan sear chicken breast first in an oven safe skillet for 3-4 minutes per side (until browned but not fully cooked through). Then, add the pesto and other toppings, and transfer to the oven for 5-10 minutes until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted.
- Don’t crowd the baking dish. Make sure there is enough space between them, or they will take what feels like forever to cook through.
- Only add toppings when the chicken is almost done. Notice that I have a 2-step baking process above. The reason is because the tomatoes and cheese will slide off if you bake with them on the entire time. It’s best to just add them toward the end, when the pesto chicken is almost done.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should reach 165 degrees F after the final step, though I actually prefer to take it out just a few degrees sooner and let it come to 165 while resting. Hello, juicy chicken!
- Resting matters. After baking, allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, so it stays… well, juicy.
Serving Ideas
Wondering what goes well with pesto chicken? I think it goes best with other Italian-inspired dishes, such as:
- Noodles – An Italian meal definitely makes you think of pasta. I usually like to use lighter pasta alternatives such as zoodles (zucchini noodles) or spaghetti squash (either a quick spaghetti squash in the microwave or baked spaghetti squash). Enjoy your noodles with simple olive oil, salt, and pepper, or toss them with the same sauce you use on the chicken.
- Salads – A crisp Israeli salad, a classic Greek salad, or a simple romaine salad with Caesar dressing pair very well with the flavors here. Sometimes I like to slice the chicken and serve it over an arugula salad.
- Vegetables – I go wherever seasonal produce takes me: Sauteed asparagus in the spring, sauteed zucchini in the summer, or roasted broccoli (shown above!) pretty much all year round.
More Italian-Inspired Chicken Recipes
I’m a huge fan of Italian flavors! If this pesto chicken recipe is your kind of meal, you’ll also like these other ones I make often:
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Large Baking Dish – It’s functional, it’s beautiful, it’s simply my favorite baking dish.
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer – This is the best way to tell if your chicken is done. I love that it tells me the exact temperature in just a couple seconds, so I don’t have to keep the oven open for long.
Pesto Chicken (5 Ingredients!)
My pesto chicken recipe needs just 5 ingredients + 25 minutes! Basil pesto, sweet tomatoes, and melty mozzarella make it juicy & flavorful.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Place chicken breasts into a large baking dish, with enough room to have space between them. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Spread pesto over each chicken breast.
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Bake for 20 minutes.
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Top the chicken with mozzarella, then tomato slices. Bake for about 5 more minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
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Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then top with fresh basil to serve.
Did You Make My Recipe?
Leave a rating to help other readers, tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram (I’d love to see!), or save the recipe to your email.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help you get juicy chicken every time! I’ve also got notes to avoid the cheese sliding off and an option for a golden sear.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. You can enjoy them later on their own, or make a sandwich! Just slice the leftover pesto chicken and layer with fresh lettuce, and creamy mayo on your favorite bread (I make my own flaxseed bread).
- Meal prep: You can assemble this dish up to 1-2 days ahead of time, and I often do! Just cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. You’ll still want to add the tomatoes and mozzarella towards the end of baking, but you can slice them ahead of time as well.
- Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, covering loosely with foil to retain moisture. The microwave works in a pinch, but can dry out the chicken.
- Freeze: You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
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Pesto Chicken
33 Comments
Candice
0This recipe is super delicious and always a hit in my house!! I use store bought pesto to make it quicker.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Candice! Yes, I think it’s still really delicious with store-bought pesto!
Veronica Craig
0I’ve made the pesto chicken several times. It’s a real hit with my family. I put a little garlic powder on the chicken in addition to the salt and pepper. I love that it’s low carb. Thanks Maya!
Cynthia Holthaus
0I had so much basil growing in the garden. This was the perfect recipe to use some of it. The chicken was moist and the pesto and mozzarella was a perfect combination of flavors. My family gobbled it up.
Kenneth Winke
0Hi, I’m 2 years in to being Type 2 and I tell you the food struggle is real but I’m learning. I found your page sometime ago and decided today to try this recipe. I’ve never cooked with Pesto before so I was a bit nervous, however it turned out fantastic. Thank you for sharing all your recipes and I look forward to trying more. This Pesto Chicken was so so good I couldn’t believe it. Thank you!
Kareena
0Turned out fantastic! Chicken was done to perfection. I used different colored small tomatoes.
Brenda R
0My family’s favorite chicken dish by far!! So easy to make so I love it too lol
Sha
0Love the combination of flavors in this pesto chicken! So delicious and pleasing!
Melissa
0One of our most favorite dinners ever! This was so easy to make and so delicious!
Shelly
0So simple and easy to make yet it’s full of flavors! I usually make this with store bought shredded mozzarella but I just had to try using fresh cheese and it’s a million times better! Thanks for that tip!
Cassie
0I loved how colorful and inviting the chicken looked on the plate. And it tastes as good as it looks too! Chicken was tender and juicy and the pesto was next level!
Fe
0I tried this recipe with boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts, and the chicken came out perfectly cooked and moist!
Trina
0The chicken was so juicy and flavorful and the pesto sauce really elevated the dish. So flavorful! I served it over zoodles tonight and I can’t wait to try it with spaghetti squash next time. Yum!
Deb Gavrun
0YUMMY!!! Made this for dinner last night, and it was simple, quick, and delicious! I added a very thinly sliced piece of ham to each breast, and after devouring it, my husband thought maybe a green or jalapeño pepper along with the sweet tomato slices would be great!
Gina
0This is such an easy and pretty meal that I can feel good about feeding to my family. I love how quickly it comes together after a long day at work.
Betty
0Simple, easy to make, and delicious.
Joanne
0I followed the instructions exactly and it turned out perfectly!! Forgot to take a picture ?I hope the 2 leftover ones taste as good for tonight’s dinner!
Bob
0We prefer thighs but the breasts were great. Thank you for a great recipe.
Carol
0I’m always trying ways to use my fresh basil, and this recipe sounded great. It’s quick, easy and so delicious! The chicken was juicy and tender with just the right amount of seasoning. I will definitely make again. Thank you for another great recipe!
Blatshaw
0This recipe is the bomb! Very tasty, very good. I used store-bought pesto in a jar from and home-grown basil for the decoration. It was all good! Our side was broccoli with sharp cheddar cheese and a little garlic salt. YUM!
Katie
0The whole family loves this one! It’s especially delicious with broccoli or asparagus!
Joanie
0Katie, you’ve got that 100% correct! Parmigiano-Reggiano is awesome. And your suggestion of using Buffalo mozzarella is a great idea. Happy cooking. Joan
Roberta
0Almost perfect 🙂 I would just suggest to make pesto with pine nuts as in the original Italian recipe, and not add salt since both pesto and mozzarella are already salty (anyway you can always add a pinch at the end if you feel it’s lacking). I totally agree with you to prefer chicken breast because pesto and cheese are already leaving the dish, oily once cooked, so if using chicken thights it may result excessively oily and like it needes to be drained- Anyway a great simple yet comforting recipe to share with the whole family or friends also at the last moment, ready in minutes and doable again and again without getting bored (if you want a special touch sometimes you can try to use buffalo mozzarella instead of regular, if you have the occasion to find a good one from a reliable artisan that can offer you fresh and traditional products from Italy: pricey, but if you’re aiming to preparae a special dish with selected ingredients, try this, and to complethe the all recipe try to make your pesto with real Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, you won’t be disappointed).
Lisalia
0Yummy! This was absolutely delicious! It was easy to make and perfectly cooked. The basil, tomatoes and cheese were reminiscent of caprese salad. Loved every bite!
Kristyn
0Now, this is a meal I could eat weekly! So much flavor & so juicy! I love pesto on so many things!
Natalie
0I love pesto chicken!! Pesto makes everything taste so good! This and a delicious salad makes the perfect meal!
Amy L Huntley
0Pesto Chicken is the absolute best! This chicken is so tender and flavorful! I love the nutty flavor in the pesto!
Beth
0A deliciously easy weeknight meal. We will be making these again!
Kay
0Fantastic flavours and the colours on this dish look amazing, the perfect summer dinner 🙂
Will be making this over the weekend, thanks for sharing !!
Beth
0This looks amazing and so tasty! My family is going to love this for dinner tonight! Can’t wait to make this!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
0Can’t wait to try this, I know it’s going to be a hit!
Claudia Lamascolo
0What an easy fast delicious combination this may be dinner tonight!
Azlin Bloor
0This looks like such a delicious quick and easy dinner. I’m a huge fan of pesto, so I know I will just love this – thanks for the inspiration!