Pesto chicken is an easy and delicious 3 ingredient low carb meal perfect for any dinner. Everyone will love the baked pesto chicken topped with melted mozzarella.
I’m always looking for a quick, easy and delicious dinner idea and when I find one that is all three and only takes three ingredients, I’m all in! Today’s Baked Chicken Pesto is all that and more!
When Jim and I cut back our carbs and starches, this is one of our go to recipes. But even family members who aren’t watching their carbs love this recipe. It is inspired by a South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook Recipe. And just like the name, this pesto chicken is a very quick and easy dish to prepare and it only has 3 ingredients!
Homemade pesto is a great item to keep in your freezer. I make some every summer to freeze, but you can easily use a bottled basil pesto for the recipe as well. I am a fan of Trader Joe’s Pesto if you need a good one to try or you can try your hand at my homemade pesto recipe.
The three ingredients in this pesto chicken are chicken, pesto and mozzarella cheese. You can use grated cheese, but I prefer a slice of fresh mozzarella.
3 Ingredient Baked Pesto Chicken
You start with a layer of pesto in the bottom of the baking dish. I used four small chicken breasts and an 8 x 8 inch pan. I used about 1/4 cup of pesto on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle your chicken with some salt and pepper.
Spread about another 1/4 cup of pesto over the top of the chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove it from the oven and sprinkle it with some mozzarella cheese, return it to oven and place under the broiler until cheese melts. Yum! This goes great with almost any vegetable or you can serve it with a side dish of rice or spinach pasta.
More delicious pesto recipes:
Red Pepper Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Some of my favorite kitchen tools I use to make Baked PESTO CHICKEN:
6 PIECE MEASURING CUP SET – Everyone needs at least one set of measuring cups, I have 4 sets!
MAGNETIC MEASURING SPOONS – I love these things. They are magnetic so they stay together in the drawer!
8 x 8 GLASS PAN – I prefer baking in glass over metal and these are the glass pans I love. I have them all different sizes
For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.
Did you know I wrote a cookbook? Check out the Holiday Slow Cooker Cookbook for 100 delicious recipes.
Pesto Chicken Recipe
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 C pesto
- 2 oz. shredded part skim mozzarella cheese 1/2 C
- salt and pepper
- Heat oven to 375 degrees
- Season chicken with salt and pepper
- Spread 1/4 cup of the pesto in a 9 x 13 baking dish
- Lay chicken breasts over pesto in an even layer and spread remaining pesto on top of chicken
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake chicken until cooked through - 20-25 minutes
- Uncover and top with cheese
- Bake until cheese is melted, 5 more minutes
- Serve hot
- I spooned the pesto from the bottom of the pan over the top of the chicken before serving
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Originally posted March 10, 2010
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You don’t strike me as a lazy leprechaun…your favorite color is GREEN!
Amen, Meg! I was coming to post the same comment!
I would certainly serve it for St. Patty’s Day! It’s looks so good right now and we are BIG chicken fans.
I always server the tradtiional Cornbeef, carrots, cabbage and red potatoes. We love it.
I always just fix whatever we have in the freezer or cupboard. Yes, I’m Irish, I just don’t buy special things. (and I do like corned beef and cabbage dearly) Can I get buy with tinting the homemade noodles green?? LOL
That looks SO good, and easy! I will have to try it!
Green Enchaladas is my St. Patrick’s Day dinner. I liked your recent recipe, but my favorite is a Spinach Green Enchalada recipe, mostly because I can make the sauce in the blender and it’s YUMMY!
i am totally making this for my hubby! he loves pesto. thanks for posting!!
I would rather eat this pesto chicken anyday before eating Corned Beef and Cabbage (which I understand is not even what they eat in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day). This chicken dish is right up my alley! 🙂
Ok.. how did you read my mind? 🙂 I was just wondering what to make for dinner.
I defrosted chicken breasts for dinner, and I have a bottle of pesto in the pantry. Dinner is done.. TA-DA.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Leigh Anne! I can’t believe the “Queen of Green” does not like “the greenest of green” holidays. Although, I can relate. St Patrick’s Day is not one of my faves either. Thanks for sharing your recipes. This one looks really good. How long are you and your husband staying on the no-carb diet? Are you at the point where you’re feeling a difference yet? I keep thinking about going no-carb again, however, it’s sometimes tough when you tempt me with all of the cookie, cupcake and candy posts! You’re the best!
I’ve been on a low carb/low glycemic diet for 2 1/2 weeks now and have lost my 5 lb. “blog baby” , the weight I’ve put on since starting this blog. My husband finished his first full week and lost 7 lbs. He has a bit more to lose than I do. I wouldn’t mind losing another 5 lbs. I’m not willing to give up sugar/carbs all together forever – just training myself to eat a few bites instead of the whole thing. It has also helped my acid reflux problem – haven’t had to take any meds since I started!! Just pulling two pies out of the oven right now for a party we are going to tonight – I’ll have to have a few bites to make sure it’s o.k.!!
The other big difference I have noticed is my energy level is much more steady – no nose dives mid afternoon! My energy level has been more sustained which I love!!
I am making this for dinner TONIGHT…can’t wait for St Patty’s Day!!
Re-training and not giving up the sugar / carbs altogether sounds like a much more reasonable plan. Not having that afternoon crash and those sugar spikes is a very good thing. Thanks for inspiring me!
love pesto! my mom always made a big deal when we were kids. corned beef and cabbage, green snake bread, green kool-aid, green popcorn, the works! sadly i haven’t really continued this with our kids, my husband hates corned beef but we might try this chicken dish, looks yummy!
That recipe looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing.
Blessings
Honey
My dad’s birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day. My sister in law usually makes a bit meal with corned beef and potatoes, green salad, green jello, Irish soda bread and for dessert. . .GREEN velvet cake.