There are two reasons why I have made these pesto baked chicken breasts a couple of times in the last two weeks.
- Reason 1: It’s so easy to make. This recipe comes together in under an hour! You literally stack up the ingredients and throw them into the oven.
- Reason 2: Because it is so good!
It’s also a great way to use up the last bit of summer’s produce. Our overachieving basil plant and our new found love for fresh pesto has my brain working a little overtime coming up with ways to use up pesto so I don’t have to freeze it. It’s the reason why I came up with this recipe for pesto baked chicken breasts.
If you love basil and tomatoes, then you’ll love this recipe.
Let’s make pesto baked chicken breasts!
Pesto Baked Chicken Breasts Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Fresh Pesto
- Tomato Slices
- Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
- Shredded Italian Cheese Blend
How To Make Baked Chicken Breasts
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, for easy cleanup.
Pat one of the chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Place it on a cutting board and cover completely with wax paper. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound out the chicken breast. Start with the thickest portion to make it uniformly about ½-inch thick. Place the flattened breast onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process for the other three breasts.
Season each of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pesto onto each breast. Use the back of the spoon to smear the pesto out over the chicken. Cover each breast completely with a thin layer of pesto.
Lay slices of tomato onto each chicken breast and then top with slices of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with the shredded Italian cheese blend.
Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F and the cheese is melted, bubbling, and has started to turn golden brown.
What To Serve With This Recipe
- Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
- Steamed Broccoli
- Oven-Roasted Asparagus
- Tossed Salad
Enjoy this summer chicken recipe using fresh pesto and tomatoes from your garden.
Pesto Baked Chicken Breasts
Useful Equipment:
- meat mallet
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper taste
- ½ cup fresh pesto
- 2 tomatoes sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced
- ½ cup Italian cheese blend shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, for easy cleanup.
- Pat one of the chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Place it on a cutting board and cover completely with wax paper. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound out the chicken breast. Start with the thickest portion to make it uniformly about ½-inch thick. Place the flattened breast onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process for the other three breasts.
- Season each of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pesto onto each breast. Use the back of the spoon to smear the pesto out over the chicken. Cover each breast completely with a thin layer of pesto.
- Lay slices of tomato onto each chicken breast and then top with slices of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with the shredded Italian cheese blend.
- Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken reads 165 degrees F and the cheese is melted, bubbling, and has started to turn golden brown.
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