This cheesy Baked Pesto Chicken dinner with potatoes and salad is made on a sheet pan for easy cleanup. Plus, it’s ready in 40 minutes!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken cutlets – you can also slice boneless skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Plum tomatoes – use another variety of tomatoes.
- Mozzarella cheese – I like using mozzarella but provolone cheese or mild white cheddar would work well.
Homemade pesto (or use store-bought pesto)
- Basil – leafy greens, spinach, watercress or herbs such as cilantro or mint can be used but will have a slightly different flavour.
- Olive oil – use any other neutral cooking oil like avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Parmesan cheese – asiago cheese or pecorino romano are great alternatives.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will also work.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Side dishes
- Olive oil – use any other neutral cooking oil like avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Baby potatoes – you can use any kind of potato, just make sure it’s cut into small pieces.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Spring mix or arugula – swap for another leafy green like spinach, kale or collard greens.
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How to make pesto chicken
Step 1: Bake the potatoes.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes, olive oil and salt & pepper together, then bake for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Bake the chicken.
Brush chicken cutlets with a tiny bit of olive oil then season with salt and pepper and add to baking sheet along with potatoes. Bake another 10 minutes.
Step 3: Coat chicken with pesto.
Make the pesto if not using store bought by adding basil, olive oil, parmesan, garlic and salt & pepper to a mini blender or Magic Bullet, blending until combined. Coat chicken cutlets with pesto.
Step 4: Top chicken with tomato and cheese then bake.
Top chicken with 2-3 slices of tomatoes. Sprinkle mozzarella overtop, then bake another 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove sheet pan from the oven, then serve chicken and potatoes alongside some spring mix or arugula.
Store-bought vs. homemade pesto
You can definitely make your own homemade basil pesto for this baked pesto chicken recipe! The only reason I use store-bought pesto is to save time and money.
Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade pesto:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
- 1 pinch salt & pepper
All you have to do is blend everything up together in a food processor or mini blender like a Magic Bullet and voila!
Keep in mind that the ingredients are fairly expensive and not necessarily items you would already have on hand at home so I do often encourage people to use store-bought shortcuts when they can. It just depends on how much time you have to meal prep and make this baked pesto chicken recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
I like serving my baked pesto chicken with some roasted veggies than cook on the sheet pan alongside the chicken for minimal clean-up. Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand! You could also serve your pesto chicken with some rice or even pasta noodles.
This baked pesto chicken cutlets recipe is super simple because all you need are two ingredients – jarred pesto sauce and chicken cutlets! The pesto sauce tastes so good with the chicken and it’s a super easy lunch or dinner idea.
Baked pesto chicken takes earthy, garlicky and herby thanks to the basil or parsley in the pesto sauce.
You can definitely use this recipe to make baked pesto chicken thighs. I’d recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs – the instructions will stay the same, but you’ll need to bake the chicken for about 20 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.
Storing and reheating
This baked pesto chicken will last in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight glass bowl or meal prep container. When you’re ready to enjoy, sprinkle some water over top of the chicken and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
If you’re making homemade pesto, it will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can use it to make pesto chicken, pasta or even a sandwich spread! If the oil turns brown or the pesto has a foul odor, it is no longer safe to eat and should be thrown out.
Freezing this recipe
You can freeze this baked pesto chicken recipe for up to 3 months. The chicken can be frozen raw in the pesto sauce or cooked in airtight glass containers or freezer-safe Ziploc bags. The night before you want to enjoy your chicken, transfer it the fridge to defrost then reheat or cook as normal.
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- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this baked pesto chicken into lunches for the week.
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- I like to use parchment paper with my sheet pan recipes for easy clean up.
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Baked Pesto Chicken Dinner {Sheet Pan}
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets (or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half down the middle)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 plum tomatoes sliced
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Homemade pesto – alternatively, use 1/2 cup jarred pesto
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Side dishes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups baby potatoes, sliced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 package spring mix or arugula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes, olive oil and salt & pepper together, then bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the pesto if not using store bought by adding basil, olive oil, parmesan, garlic and salt & pepper to a mini blender or Magic Bullet, blending until combined. At the same time, slice tomatoes and grate mozzarella.
- Brush chicken cutlets with a tiny bit of olive oil then season with salt and pepper and add to baking sheet along with potatoes. Bake another 10 minutes.
- Coat chicken cutlets with pesto, then top with 2-3 slices of tomatoes. Sprinkle mozzarella overtop, then bake another 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Remove sheet pan from the oven, then serve chicken and potatoes alongside some spring mix or arugula. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Sue says
Loved the ease to make, the quick time line and the flavourful taste.
Sara says
Made this last night. So good! I used yellow squash and cherry tomatoes because that was what I had. Then put it all over angel hair pasta. Thanks
Amanda C Franklin says
This was soooo delicious!