This mouthwateringly delicious Baked Pesto Chicken is a dish you'll want to serve again and again! You won't believe how easy it is with 10 minutes of prep, 5 simple ingredients, and only 1 baking dish to clean up!
Not only is this a meal that you can pull together with minimal effort, but there's also plenty of nutrition from the yummy mushrooms and tomato. And the chicken comes out juicy and flavorful! Your family will love it!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
When I want a quick and easy meal, that doesn't always mean I want something that's just thrown together. Just because a meal is simple doesn't mean it can't also be impressive!
This pesto chicken is a 5-ingredient dish that only takes 10 minutes of prep, but the results are elegant and comforting. You'll love how quick it is to put together this pesto mushroom chicken dish, which is perfect for a quick weeknight meal but flashy enough to serve to guests or for Sunday dinner!
Like my Chicken Potato Bake or quick and easy Air Fryer Chicken Quarters, this is a must-have recipe! And if you can't get enough of cooking with pesto, try this 20 Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- mushrooms - provide a distinct earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with the pesto.
- tomato - for some extra nutrition and color, as well as fresh flavor.
- chicken cutlets - the perfect protein to serve as the mild taste of the chicken provides a great base for all of the other flavors.
- pesto - the not-so-secret ingredient in this recipe that instantly brings in a punch of green flavor and ties together all of the ingredients.
- mozzarella slices - adds cheesy goodness!
🔪 Instructions
- Microwave mushrooms for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Slice tomatoes into rounds, then slice the rounds in half.
- Place chicken cutlets in a single layer in a baking dish.
- Add pesto.
- Layer on tomatoes.
- Spread the mushrooms over top.
- Finish with mozzarella slices.
- Baked at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
👪 FAQs
Pesto is primarily made from basil, so it will have a green and herby flavor. It also contains pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese, and often has garlic as well.
Yes, but you should only cook pesto if it's part of a dish. The sauce itself is not cooked, as adding heat will alter the texture and the flavor, as well as turning the pesto darker.
This depends on the nature of the chicken. A whole chicken may be better off without the foil to allow the skin to crisp up, but with something like chicken cutlets, covering with foil helps trap in moisture and leads to a better cook throughout.
Yes, and I even have a recipe for a twist on pesto made with broccoli!
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Buy your mushrooms pre-sliced to save on prep time.
- Any kind of tomatoes will work for this recipe, just be sure to cut them in a way that makes them easy to lay on top of the chicken.
- Making your own pesto can elevate this recipe, but store bought works great and eliminates lots of prep time!
Pesto mushroom chicken is great for quick dinners, and the leftovers taste great over top a salad for lunch later in the week!
📖 Substitutions and Variations
- Parmesan cheese is another great option to top, as pesto already contains Parmesan. You could add this instead or or in addition to the mozzarella.
- Serve your baked pesto chicken over top noodles or rice for an even fuller meal.
- For even more veggies, try adding some spinach, red peppers, or artichoke hearts.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
To store this baked pesto chicken, allow it to cool and then transfer to an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for around 5 days and should be good in your freezer for up to a month.
When it's time to reheat, you can either pop it in the microwave for a minute or two, or place it back in the oven at around 350 degrees F and cook until heated through. From frozen, be sure to allow the chicken to thaw in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight if possible.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
Making your own pesto would add prep time to this dish, but if you make the pesto ahead of time then you can have a fresh and homemade sauce ready to use when it comes time to prep your pesto chicken bake!
To make this ahead of time, follow the recipe instructions completely. Once you remove the chicken from the oven, allow to cool entirely and then cover the baking dish and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the baking dish in the oven, and heat for 15-20 minutes until hot.
💡 What To Serve With This Dish
Because this baked pesto chicken is already loaded with veggies, I love to serve it with something a bit starchy like Crispy Sauteed Potatoes or Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries.
This Cheddar Bacon Slow Cooker Bread is also a great side, and if you do want to serve it with even more vegetables, go for these Air Fryer Zucchini Fries!
🍗 More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- Chicken Pesto Pasta with Broccoli - Another great chicken dish that features the flavors of pesto.
- Chicken Thighs with Jalapeno Artichoke Topping - This creamy and flavorful meal has a slight kick and a buttery cracker topping!
- Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken - So easy to put together in the crockpot, you'll love the balance of sweet and savory.
- Chicken Parmesan - This recipe from The Spruce Eats is an Italian classic!
- Breaded Lemon Chicken - Enjoy a bright, lemony flavor and a crispy breadcrumb coating with this super-easy weeknight meal that will have your family clamoring for more!
Pesto Mushroom Chicken
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📋 Recipe Card
Baked Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 large tomato
- 4-6 chicken cutlets
- ½ cup basil pesto (your favorite)
- 8-12 slices mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a large baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place the mushrooms in a microwave safe bowl and heat 2 minutes on high to soften them. Drain and set aside.8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- Slice the tomato into rounds, and then cut the rounds in half (to make them easy to place on the chicken cutlets).1 large tomato
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish, then top with the pesto, tomato slices, mushrooms, and cheese.4-6 chicken cutlets, ½ cup basil pesto, 8-12 slices mozzarella cheese
- Cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is done.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and chopped tomato, if desired.
Notes
- Use your favorite mushrooms. I just used white button mushrooms. I like to buy them pre-sliced to save some time.
- You can use any kind of tomatoes. You can even use grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half. Just slice them so that they are easy to lay on the chicken.
- Use store-bought pesto or make your own. For a delicious and healthy-ish pesto, try my Easy Broccoli Pesto!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Tavo says
You got me with pesto! I am such a pesto lover; I never thought about adding it to chicken! Just made this for dinner and I am hooked!
Anita says
This is such an easy dish to prepare for busy days. The taste is also amazingly delicious.
veenaazmanov says
Quick, easy and delicious and quite a one pot meal. Thanks for such an amazing recipe.