Quick and Easy Basil Pesto Chicken is definitely one recipe that you will want to add to your list of “go-to” easy, healthy, quick and delicious chicken dishes. Just four ingredients; tender, juicy chicken breasts, covered with layers of basil pesto, sliced fresh tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese… Yum! What’s not to love?
We probably have chicken in some form at least 2-3 times a week, and if you are like me, you are always on the lookout for new ways to prepare it.
This healthy chicken pesto recipe checks all of the boxes; quick and easy preparation, not too many ingredients, healthy, and delicious! Plus, it makes a wonderful weeknight dinner for your family when you are pressed for time, and it is also is nice enough to serve to guests at a dinner party.
I make this baked chicken with pesto sauce all the time for my family and have served it to friends several times, and everyone loves it. And, did I mention how easy and quick it is?
You can prepare everything ahead of time, and then just pop it in the oven when your guests arrive. No standing over a hot stove and babysitting a dish. You can relax and enjoy your guests, while Quick and Easy Basil Pesto Chicken bakes in the oven.
If you like this recipe, check out these other quick and easy chicken entrées: Tropical Chicken Curry, Bacon, Mushroom and Thyme Chicken, and Lemon Chicken. Need more ideas, check out all of my chicken recipes here.
There is a shortlist of ingredients for this recipe: refrigerated or jarred pesto, boneless skinless chicken breasts, Roma tomatoes, grated or sliced mozzarella cheese, and kosher salt and pepper.
How to make it:
To begin gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place four boneless skinless chicken breasts on the foil and season with salt and pepper.
Top the chicken with a generous amount of pesto and make sure all surface areas are covered.
Add grated mozzarella or mozzarella slices on top making sure you have completely covered the chicken.
Top with 2-3 slices each of tomatoes.
How long to bake chicken breasts?
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees. I have listed a wide range in cooking times because of the wide range in the thickness of chicken breasts. The thicker the chicken breast, the longer it will take to cook.
I usually buy 2 whole breasts and then slice them in half horizontally to get 4 breasts that are about 1/2 inch thick. Chicken breasts that are about 1/2 inch thick usually take about 20-25 minutes to cook.
Start checking the breasts to see if they are done at 20 minutes and check every minute after that. If you overcook the breasts, they will be dry and tough!
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Quick and Easy Basil Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 package refrigerated pesto 7 oz package, or jarred pesto
- 2-3 small Roma tomatoes
- 4-6 slices mozzarella cheese or 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breast on the foil and season with salt and pepper.
- Top the chicken with a generous amount of pesto and make sure all surface areas are covered.
- Top the pesto with the mozzarella cheese
- Add the tomato slices.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees. *
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