This pesto baked chicken is an easy and healthy weeknight dinner, delicious with veggies and pasta! Each chicken breast is stuffed with a basil pesto and fresh mozzarella cheese.
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Creating this Pesto Baked Chicken
This is my all time favorite baked chicken recipe! It never fails me and requires simple ingredients.
Chicken is so versatile and can be made in a variety of ways, like these Instant Pot Chicken Burrito bowls, and it’s so great to have on hand for weeknight meals.
Ingredients you will need to make these pesto stuffed chicken breasts
Chicken Breasts: Using a sharp knife, you will butterfly the chicken. Carefully using a sharp knife, place your hand on top of the boneless, skinless chicken breast, slice horizontally into the chicken, dividing it half. Stop about a half-inch from the opposite side. When done, you should be able to open up the chicken like a book so it lies flat.
Pesto: You can use a store bought pesto or make your own. Or try my vegan avocado pesto that I love making with this recipe. About 2-3 Tbsp. gets stuffed in the chicken.
Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella cheese to go inside the chicken breast. You can shred additional cheese to sprinkle on top too!
Lemon: The lemon is great for adding more flavor to the chicken.
You will also need cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
How to make Pesto Baked Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an oven safe baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Make the pesto according to the directions in my blog post or use a store bought jar.
Butterfly the chicken: Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of the chicken breast, nearly through the opposite side. Open up each chicken breast and place 2-3 Tbsp. of the pesto in the center. Sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp. of mozzarella.
Pinch chicken breasts closed and use toothpicks to secure. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes in the pan around the chicken. Pour lemon juice over the chicken, followed by the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil.
Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. I recommended to start checking the temperature around 30 minutes.
Enjoy with side dishes of your choice (we like pasta and a veggie such as broccoli, Brussels or salad).
Tips for making the best Pesto Baked Chicken
Baked chicken has a bad reputation for being bland or dry so use these tips and tricks to infuse flavor into your baked chicken!
Bake the chicken at 375°F. You will get a nice color to your chicken and it will be juicy and flavorful at this temperature.
Add in citrus. If you have any lemons lying around, slice them up and sprinkle them in around your chicken. This will help with infusing the chicken with even more flavor.
Don’t overcook your chicken! It will be tough and not very palatable if you do. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts this recipe can take anywhere from 30-55 minutes to cook. Start checking the internal temperature around 30 minutes.
Make your own pesto sauce for ultra deliciousness. However, store bought works well in a pinch too!
This pesto baked chicken is an easy and healthy weeknight dinner, delicious with veggies and pasta! Each chicken breast is stuffed with a basil pesto and fresh mozzarella cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an oven safe baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Make the pesto according to the directions in my blog post or use a store bought jar.
Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of the chicken breast, nearly through the opposite side. Open up each chicken breast and place 2-3 Tbsp. of the pesto in the center. Sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp. mozzarella.
Pinch chicken breasts closed and use toothpicks to secure. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Scatter the cherry tomatoes in the pan around the chicken. Pour lemon juice over the chicken, followed by the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil.
Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Enjoy with side dishes of your choice (we like pasta and a veggie such as broccoli, Brussels or salad).
Video
Notes
Will last in fridge for up to 4 days. Makes great leftovers for lunch!Serve with pasta, zoodles, asparagus, Brussels, broccoli, salad.
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Tomatoes and mozzarella are my favorite summer combination and this pesto chicken looks out of this world.
Anita
2 years ago
The pesto, mozzarella, and tomato makes the chicken taste super delicious. Bonus point for super easy to prepare too.
Jessica Formicola
2 years ago
We had this chicken for dinner last night and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Cindy
2 years ago
We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen, cooking as a family lately. It has been fun to involve the kids with recipe research and cooking! We found your recipe and we made it today! It was a success and a hit with everybody!
This dinner looks so good! I love all the flavors you have packed into that pan! Cannot wait to make it!
Tomatoes and mozzarella are my favorite summer combination and this pesto chicken looks out of this world.
The pesto, mozzarella, and tomato makes the chicken taste super delicious. Bonus point for super easy to prepare too.
We had this chicken for dinner last night and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen, cooking as a family lately. It has been fun to involve the kids with recipe research and cooking! We found your recipe and we made it today! It was a success and a hit with everybody!
Oh! I think I just experienced heart palpitations! That looks so good!
You’re too funny! Thank you so much!