Pesto Chicken Bake

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!