This Pesto Chicken Bake is one of the easiest chicken recipes you’ll make, but it packs a ton of fresh flavor! You can start with jarred or homemade pesto, depending on what you prefer. Either way, this pesto chicken comes out juicy, flavorful, and just perfect for any night of the week!
I’ve definitely had more time to cook dinners lately, but I still keep gravitating towards the tried and true easy recipes that I know my family is going to love.
I love to cook and create new recipes – I just don’t necessarily like to do it at 6pm when everyone is hovering around telling me how hungry they are. 😉
So, easy dinners are a win for me and this pesto chicken bake could seriously not get any easier! It reminds me a lot of our salsa chicken, since the method is basically the same.
I love when big flavors come out of simple recipes and that’s exactly what happens here!
Ingredient Notes:
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Chicken – You’ll need four boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded out to an even thickness. This recipe would also work well with chicken thighs.
Pesto Sauce – You can make a homemade pesto sauce if you’ve got the time or just grab a jar from the store. I’ve linked to my favorite jarred pesto which I know has a lot of flavor and is perfect for this pesto chicken bake recipe!
Toppings – This keto pesto chicken gets topped off with a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses along with some halved cherry tomatoes and fresh basil for garnish! It’s a cheesy chicken dish with lots of flavor!
We use Thrive Market for a lot of our specialty ingredients and keto snacks or products. Their prices tend to be cheaper than the local stores and I love that you can so easily sort products by diet.
Like Costco, this is a membership site, but we find that it’s more than worth it based on the amount we save over the regular grocery store.
They have monthly or yearly plans. Check it out here.
Just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of prep!
This baked pesto chicken is fresh and flavorful, perfect for a summer dinner!
Chicken is a universal favorite and having easy recipes like this on hand makes getting it on the table a breeze.
Helpful Tools:
Meat Tenderizer – This tool makes pounding out and tenderizing the chicken simple, and it works great for meat in any other recipe.
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost. Just stick it in the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness. This thermometer is also magnetic so it’s easy to store right on the side of the fridge or oven for easy access! Get it on Amazon.
How To Make Basil Pesto Chicken:
Pound – You’ll want to start with some chicken breasts that have been pounded out to an even thickness. Just place a chicken breast between a couple pieces of plastic wrap and take out a little aggression on them with a meat tenderizer.rnrnThey don’t necessarily need to be thin, they just need to be an even thickness all the way around so that everything cooks the same. Pounding your chicken out is the key to avoiding overcooked dry chicken while you wait on one random fat piece of chicken to cook through. 😉
Pesto Sauce – After your chicken is pounded out, add it to a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in a jar of pesto sauce (or use homemade!) and just toss the seasoned chicken all around in the pesto sauce to coat.
Top – Place the pesto chicken in a greased baking dish and top it off with a sprinkle of Parmesan and mozzarella, and then dump on some halved cherry tomatoes. That’s all going to bake up into perfectly cheesy pesto chicken!
Bake – This recipe bakes up in about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts. It’s always best to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. I’ve included a link to my favorite meat thermometer above!rnrnWe like to sprinkle on a little fresh basil before serving, if we have it on hand. If not, just skip the basil and dig in! This keto pesto chicken bake is juicy, flavorful, and healthy!
“I tried this tonight and OMG!! Absolutely delicious!! Minor modifications; I cut a small onion in the rolls and laid it down in the dish, then the chicken on top of onions. It is absolutely perfect!! Thanks so much.” – Tara
Serving Suggestions:
This cheesy pesto chicken dish is very simple to throw together, which I love because it frees up a little time to get creative with the side dishes!
A few of our favorites include:
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Keto Cauliflower Casserole
- Spinach Casserole
- Sauteed Zucchini and Squash
- Side salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
For dessert, serve up a bowl of my keto chocolate mousse!
FAQs:
You can keep the cheesy baked pesto chicken in the refrigerator, well covered, for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave and it should be just as good the next day as it was the first!
Pesto is an Italian sauce that is usually made with crushed basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil, though the ingredients can vary. It has loads of flavor and it goes great with chicken!
More Keto Chicken Recipes:
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Mississippi Chicken
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Baked Chicken Legs
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Pesto Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness, about 6 ounces each
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup pesto
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then coat each piece in the pesto sauce.
- Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and top with any leftover pesto. Sprinkle on the mozzarella and Parmesan and top with the halved tomatoes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil before serving.
Michelle Kiva says
Hi Carly! What prepared pesto do you recommend?
Karly Campbell says
We usually buy the Classico brand, but Rao’s is also tasty!
Michelle Kiva says
Thanks!
Karen says
Rao’s is the best!
Teri says
How big are the chicken breasts you used? 4 oz? 6 oz?
Leslie Bennink says
Okay in the oven now, used my own homemade basil pesto….I did put a layer of sweet onion as suggested by other reviewer.
Karly Campbell says
Hope you enjoy!
Tara Roulhac says
I tried this tonight and OMG!! Absolutely delicious!! Minor modifications; I cut a small onion in the rolls and laid it down in the dish, then the chicken on top of onions. It is absolutely perfect!! Thanks so much.
Karly Campbell says
Sounds like a great addition! 🙂