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!I love when big flavors come out of simple recipes and that’s exactly what happens here!
How to make basil pesto chicken:
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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. They 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. 😉
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 chicken all around in the pesto to coat.
Place the 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.
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’m a huge fan of this ThermoPro Instant Read Thermometer. It’s magnetic, so I just stick it on the side of my fridge, it’s accurate, and it’s super easy to use.
We 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 chicken is juicy, flavorful, and healthy!
Serving Suggestions:
This 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!

Pesto Chicken Bake
This juicy chicken recipe was made for busy nights! It packs a ton of flavor with just a handful of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
- 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 9x13 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.
Notes
You may use either homemade or jarred pesto in this recipe.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 chicken breastAmount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 670mgCarbohydrates: 4gNet Carbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 45g
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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! 🙂