The flavor combination is incredible, and much like blackened chicken, it’s an excellent way to upgrade chicken breast. This easy recipe combines my baked chicken breast with my homemade pesto sauce. Like many recipes, it was initially born out of the need to use nearly-expired ingredients, and it was a huge success! So much so, that I have made it several times over the past few months. Pesto goes incredibly well with chicken, and I love how easy this recipe is. Much like this easy Greek chicken recipe, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Instructions
Recipe Card
Fresh chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Avocado oil spray: This oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it an ideal cooking oil. Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Pesto sauce: Homemade or store-bought. Both work. Sliced tomatoes: It’s best to use firm, red tomatoes. Smaller tomatoes work better in this recipe. I often use Roma tomatoes. Shredded mozzarella: Provolone is also excellent in this recipe.
Your first step is to bake the chicken breasts. It’s always a good idea to bake chicken for a short time at a high temperature - this helps keep it juicy. So bake it for 20 minutes in a 450°F oven. Return the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes to finish cooking the chicken and melt the cheese. That’s it! Dinner is served.
Roasted peppers Roasted yellow squash Roasted broccoli Roasted okra Roasted zucchini
Sometimes, I make hearts of palm pasta, microwave spaghetti squash (I mix in some olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper), or zucchini noodles and use them as a bed for the chicken. I prefer not to reheat them so as not to dry the chicken out. So I slice them and use them the next day to top a salad such as arugula salad or Cobb salad. If you’d like to reheat the leftovers, do it gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
