Pesto Chicken

30-minutes and one pan is all you need to make this pesto chicken recipe. This chicken recipe is loaded with juicy chicken, and either homemade pesto or store bought pesto, for a quick and delicious meal.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword basil, Chicken Breasts, pine nuts

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings Servings

Calories 518kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Cost $7

Ingredients

4 Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breasts *Note 1 & 2
Salt, To Taste
Black Pepper, To Taste
1 cup Pesto Sauce, Store Bought or Homemade *Note 3

OPTIONAL

16 oz Cherry Tomatoes, Zucchini or Bell Peppers *Note 4

Instructions

PREP THE CHICKEN:

Pound chicken to even thinness with a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Coat each chicken breast with approx. 2 tbsp of pesto. (Reserve the balance of the sauce to serve with the cooked chicken).

BAKE THE CHICKEN:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
Transfer the chicken breasts to the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and place the tomatoes around the chicken.
Transfer the baking dish back to the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165° F. Thicker breasts will require a bit more time.
Remove from the oven and serve with extra basil sauce.

GRILL THE CHICKEN:

Pre-heat an outdoor grill over medium-high heat.
Cook the breasts and tomatoes for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Remove from the grill and serve with extra basil sauce.

SKILLET CHICKEN:

Pre-heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the breasts for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Add the tomatoes and flip every few minutes, until soft.
Transfer the chicken and tomatoes to individual plates and serve with extra pesto.

Notes

Note 1 - Thicker chicken breasts will require up to 45 minutes of cook time. Keep cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165° F-185° F.

Note 2 - If using chicken thighs, cook until the internal temperature reaches 165° F-185° F.

Note 3 - Store bought pesto sauce and homemade pesto sauce both work great!

Note 4 - Use any variety of tomatoes. If using larger tomatoes, such a Roma, make sure to quarter them before baking.

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