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This chicken pesto will become your family’s new dinner obsession. We’re talking tender, juicy chicken smothered in the creamiest pesto sauce and topped with golden, bubbly cheese. Ready in 35 minutes with just 6 ingredients – this is comfort food that actually fits into real life!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- This chicken pesto recipe has 45 grams of high-quality protein per serving, made entirely from whole food ingredients like fresh chicken, real cheese, and herb-packed pesto. It’s keto-friendly comfort food that keeps you satisfied for hours while delivering serious nutritional benefits your family will never see coming.
- 35 minutes from start to finish – seriously, that’s it. No marinating, no complicated steps, just season, spread, bake, and devour.
- Even picky kids demolish this baked pesto chickenand clean their plates without complaint. To round out this entree, you can add my Roasted Potatoes and Carrots and this Best EVER Risotto Recipe as delicious sides to create an entire feast!
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What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Trust me on the resting time! Those 3-5 minutes let all the juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over your cutting board. It’s the difference between juicy perfection and complete, utter dry disappointment.
- Those 10-15 second bursts when you microwave the cream cheese are key here. If you try to speed things up, you’ll end up with lumpy, separated goo mixed into your pesto. And full-fat is best, as light cream cheese just doesn’t have the same luxurious mouthfeel.
- Try to shred your own mozzarella if you can. I promise it’s worth the extra 30 seconds for cheese that actually melts instead of just sitting there looking sad.
- When shopping for chicken for pesto recipes, look for breasts that are roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly. If you’ve got one thick boy in the bunch, just pound it out a bit or butterfly it.
Recipe Variations
Add Some Kick: A pinch of red pepper flakes in that pesto mixture wakes everything up nicely.
Switch Up the Cheese: Half mozzarella, half Parmesan is divine. Or try provolone if you want something with a little more personality.
Try an Herb Version: Toss some fresh chopped basil or Italian seasoning into the panko before sprinkling.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Marry Me Chicken (Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Bruschetta Chicken
- BBQ Chicken Tacos
- Black Pepper Chicken
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Creamy Marry Me Chicken Casserole
- Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce
- Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Chicken Francese
- Crockpot Boursin Chicken
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Cheesy Pesto Chicken
This chicken and pesto dish has tender, juicy chicken smothered in the creamiest pesto sauce and topped with golden, bubbly cheese. An easy comfort food that will feed your family on a busy weeknight!
Equipment
- 1 large baking dish (9×13 inch recommended)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup pesto
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Season 4 chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in single layer in large baking dish.
- Microwave 8 ounces cream cheese in 10-15 second bursts until very soft.
- Stir in 1/2 cup pesto until completely combined.
- Spread the pesto cream cheese mixture generously onto each chicken breast.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts), or until no longer pink in the middle.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, then 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Broil 4-5 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.
- Let chicken rest about 3-5 minutes before serving.
Check for Doneness: The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Use a thermometer for best results.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently at 325°F to prevent burning the cheese.
Prep Ahead: Season chicken and make pesto mixture up to 4 hours ahead, store covered in refrigerator.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Calories: 605calProtein: 34gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 726mgPotassium: 354mgTotal Carbs: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gNet Carbs: 10gVitamin A: 1622IUCalcium: 237mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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