4-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Bake (2024)

October 8, 2022 by Bailey Sissom 144 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Bake is healthy, simple, delicious and requires just 5-minutes prep. Juicy chicken topped with fresh basil pesto, melty mozzarella and vine ripened tomatoes.

Welcome to the most epic 4-ingredient recipe on Simply Sissom. It's everything you want an easy weeknight dinner recipe to be: packed with flavor, 5-minute hands on prep, basic ingredients only (chicken, tomato, basil-pesto and mozzarella), optional shortcuts and quick cleanup. Let's get this one on the table, stat!

this recipe

I'm always skeptical when a recipe sounds too easy to be good! Well....this one proved me WRONG! I absolutely loved it and have filed it for the future. Thank you for this super recipe!
-Susan Sommers

With over 1,000,000 views, this 4-Ingredient Basil Pesto Chicken Bake is THE MOST LOVED recipe on this site. Although, simple yogurt parfaits are a VERY close second!

This isn't just any old basic weeknight chicken dinner. The Italian ingredients bring a whole explosion of flavor. A little zest from the pesto, a punch of comfort from the mozzarella, and a pop of freshness added straight to the top courtesy of the juicy tomatoes. It all just sort of works together to bring maximum flavor to this pesto + chicken dinner situation. And, did I mention .... it's oven ready in just 5 minutes ?!?

Jump to:

🔪 Ingredients
🍗 How to flatten chicken breasts
📋 Instructions.
⭐️ Substitutions
💭 Variations
🥣 Storage
❓ FAQ
🎥 Video: 4-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Bake
📖 Recipe
➕ More easy recipes
Comments

🔪 Ingredients

chicken breasts (thinly sliced or flattened)
mozzarella cheese
basil-pesto
tomatoes

See recipe card for quantities.

🍗 How to flatten chicken breasts

For this recipe, it is very important that you use thin chicken breasts to reduce cooking time. If you only have thick breasts ... no problem! Just use one of the methods below to flatten out/thin your chicken breasts.

Place your chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap, or in a resealable plastic bag. Starting in the center and working out to the edges, pound lightly with a meat mallet until the chicken is an even thickness.

Alternatively, you can slice through a thick chicken breast horizontally. Holding one hand flat over the top of the chicken breast, slowly use a sharp knife held parallel to the cutting board to slice chicken breast in half.

📋 Instructions.

**OPTIONAL FIRST STEP:I like to give the chicken a good sear before assembling this recipe. It makes the chicken cook faster AND it gets a pretty layer of caramelization on the outside. That said, it is NOT necessary. If you are short on time, just season the chicken breast and start assembling.

2. Top the chicken breasts (raw or seared) with a thick layer of basil pesto.

3. Place sliced mozzarella cheese on top of the basil pesto.

4. Finish the assembly of the pesto chicken by layering on a couple of thinly sliced tomatoes.

5. Bake the Pesto Chicken in the oven at 350 degrees until the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.

Hint: Store-bought basil pesto can be very runny. While this will NOT impact the taste of your dish, it can make your final dish look "soupy." To avoid this, pour off the top layer of oil from your pesto and give it a good stir. This will change the texture of your pesto to a thick paste and make it easier to apply to the chicken.

⭐️ Substitutions

Mozzarella - Fresh sliced mozzarella is recommended, but shredded can be used if it's what you have on hand.

Low Carb - skip on the tomatoes to make make this recipe lower-carb.

Basil Pesto - basil-pesto is my favorite, but feel free to swap it out for your favorite flavor of pesto.

💭 Variations

This pesto chicken bake is more of a concept than an actual recipe. Here are some ideas on how you can change it up to suit your family needs.

Spicy - add chili pepper flakes prior to baking
Deluxe - pour the juices remaining in the pan over angel hair pasta or rice for a simple side dish!
Kid friendly - skip on the pesto and tomato and serve up "cheesy chicken" instead!
Lower calorie - skip mozzarella cheese to reduce calories.

🥣 Storage

Refrigerate leftover chicken pesto bake in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I love chopping up the leftovers and serving it on top of salads for lunches.

Extra pesto can be frozen into individual portions inside of an ice cube tray. Once "pesto cubes" are frozen through, pop them out and store them in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.

❓ FAQ

What type of store-bought pesto do you recommend?

I always use Dellalo’s Simple Basil Pesto when I make this recipe. It is available in most grocery stores.

Can I use homemade basil-pesto?

Of course. The idea of this recipe is EASY + SIMPLE so I did not include instructions for homemade pesto, but I think it would be fantastic.

Why did my chicken take so long to cook?

It is very important that you use thin or pounded chicken breasts for this recipe. If you use a thick chicken breast, your cook time could more than double.

Why is there so much cooking liquid at the bottom of the baking dish?

This is normal for this recipe. Use extra oils and juices to flavor some rice or pasta to use as a side dish!

🎥 Video: 4-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Bake

📖 Recipe

4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Bake

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.8 from 53 reviews

Author: Bailey Sissom
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 3 chicken breasts 1x
Category: Fast and Easy
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Italian

Print Recipe

Description

4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Bake is healthy, simple,delicious and requires just 5-minutes prep. Juicy chicken topped with fresh pesto, melty mozzarella and topped with vine ripened tomatoes.

Ingredients

Scale

3 chicken breasts
6 oz. jar basil pesto
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 - 6 slices mozzarella cheese

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Season chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper.
OPTIONAL STEP: While the oven is preheating you can heat some olive oil or butter in a skillet. Once hot add the chicken breast and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side until caramelized. The chicken should still be raw in the center.
Arrange chicken breasts (seared or raw) onto a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Use a spoon to cover chicken breast with pesto.
Top each chicken breast with 1 thin slice of mozzarella cheese and 2 thinly sliced tomatoes.
Bake for 20- 30 minutes (time will vary based on chicken thickness) or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Broil the chicken the final 2 minutes so that the cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.

Notes

The recipe directions are written for THIN chicken breasts. If using thick, use a meat mallet to reduce thickness or slice them horizontally to avoid longer cooking times.
To reduce the amount of liquid in your baking dish, pour a little bit of the oil off of the top of your pesto jar. This will give the pesto a thick paste consistency that works well for this recipe.

➕ More easy recipes

Italian Sausage Pesto Pasta Skillet
20-Minute Sausage Carbonara
Easy Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
Crunchy Wonton Taco Cups

More Quick and Easy

Quick Pesto Rotisserie Chicken Wrap (Easy Recipe)
Homemade Frozen Chicken Tenders In Air Fryer (Meal Prep)
Creamy Garlic and Lemon Sausage Pasta
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats (Easy Recipe)

About Bailey Sissom

Bailey Sissom is a 3rd grade teacher turned stay-at-home mom and the creator of Simply Sissom, a blog for busy moms who value feeding their kids healthy meals and snacks, but struggle with finding the time to make it happen. On Simply Sissom, Bailey shares practical recipes, tips and tricks to help make preparing whole food meals happen consistently.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Carl Francis
April 03, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Like your approach and your recipes. Please add me to your email list. Thanks!
Pennsylvania Cooking Dad
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 04, 2016 at 10:17 am
  Added:) So glad you enjoyed the post!
  Reply
  - Nestor Ayala
    April 07, 2019 at 11:09 am
    I would like to make this for my girlfriend tonight, I am super excited! What would you propose a good side would be? Please let me know!
    Reply
    - Bailey Sissom
      April 24, 2019 at 1:46 pm
      Hey Nestor. So sorry I'm just seeing this! I hope that everything went will with your dinner. I always serve this up with a simple side salad and some in season fruit:)
      Reply
    - Tresa
      April 25, 2019 at 5:17 pm
      I've made this wonderful tasty recipe and served it with fettuccine alfredo. It was a BIG HIT ❤
      Reply
Jaydubya
April 03, 2016 at 10:02 pm
OMG!
This was SOOOOOO easy and GOOD!!
Needed something quick on a Sunday evening and this was just the ticket!
Served with tomato and basil pierogies and a salad. YUM!
Thanks for sharing!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 04, 2016 at 10:16 am
  I am so glad you liked it! It is definitely on regular rotation around here. I'm all about easy:)
  Reply
Brianr
April 06, 2016 at 7:28 pm
Love it. Please add me to your email list
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 06, 2016 at 9:25 pm
  Thanks Brian! Added:)
  Reply
Lynn
April 20, 2016 at 10:35 am
Love this! Please sign me up.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 21, 2016 at 3:20 pm
  Thanks Lynn! I have added you to my email list:)
  Reply
  - Mariah
    April 19, 2020 at 7:05 pm
    Please add me to your email list! This was a great help would love to see more!! [emailprotected] ( yes it’s two e’s) 🙂
    Thank you!!
    Reply
Linda
June 06, 2016 at 1:44 am
Looks like my kind of food!
Reply
Kelly Frankovich
July 25, 2016 at 7:03 am
This is Dinner for a busy Monday night!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 25, 2016 at 1:34 pm
  Yep.. it's perfect for just that!!!
  Reply
michelle kapke
August 17, 2016 at 6:52 pm
this was great my family loved this Thank you
Reply
- Simply Sissom
  August 19, 2016 at 10:45 pm
  I'm so glad you liked it!!!!
  Reply
Jamie
August 26, 2016 at 10:34 pm
What side dish did everyone make??
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  August 29, 2016 at 7:41 am
  Hi Jamie! I usually keep it simple and just make a big salad (made from whatever is in the fridge) and pop some whole-wheat rolls into the oven. Nothing fancy, but everyone seems to enjoy it.
  Reply
- Kyle W
  June 13, 2023 at 9:26 pm
  Wasn’t sure if my girlfriend would be feeling pasta or something different tonight so I put cooked pasta in one half of the baking pan and a simple quinoa recipe in the other before adding this recipe on top and baking. She loved the pasta, but both turned out great!
  Reply
Elsa Lecke
September 24, 2016 at 6:42 pm
Recipes look delicious and easy, please add me to your email list for recipes. Thanks
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  September 28, 2016 at 7:46 am
  Hi Elsa! I'm so glad that you liked the site. Unfortunately I am not able to manually add you to my email list, you have to opt in. I am sending you a link to my homepage. If you look to the right (side bar) there is a box that you can enter you name and email address. This will get you all set up!
  Reply
Kp
December 06, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Yeah- chicken does NOT cook in 30 min. At least not in my oven lol. More like an hour 🙁 this is taking forever
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  December 07, 2016 at 9:17 am
  Hi Keeley, sorry your chicken took so long to cook. Hope it was worth the wait! I tend to look for and use small chicken breasts when cooking. Obviously the cooking time would vary depending on the chicken's size. I am going to add a note about this to the post. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Happy Wednesday!
  Reply
  - Nonie
    August 27, 2020 at 5:56 pm
    the trick is to pound them flatter; trying to slice a chicken breast horizontally is a nightmare. Just lay some plastic wrap over it and pound it .
    Reply
Maria
January 12, 2017 at 8:07 pm
Super easy and simply delicious! Thank you!!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  January 13, 2017 at 11:51 am
  See Also
  Guest Post: Apple Walnut Tart with Maple Custard from Baking A Moment Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe | Ready In 3 Minutes! - Elavegan Throwing a Backyard Barbecue Pulled Pork Recipe (Slow Cooker Method) - Cooking Classy
  So glad you enjoyed it Maria!!!!
  Reply
Darlene A
February 15, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Absolutely delicious. Will definitely add to our dinner rotation.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  February 16, 2017 at 7:01 am
  Yay I'm so glad that you liked it!!!
  Reply
Dee
April 02, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Looking forward to this in about to stick on oven I didn't see for long to bake out on what temp but I'm going to still cook this, can't wait thank you
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 04, 2017 at 10:03 am
  Hope that it turned out well! The cook time is about 30-35 minutes at 350:)
  Reply
Mariam
May 04, 2017 at 12:15 am
I've noticed the cheese you are using for this recipe is like a rectangler and I know you said not to use shredded cheese can I use the round fresh mozzarella?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  May 04, 2017 at 8:11 am
  Yep! Fresh mozzarella is perfect!
  Reply
Kasey
July 16, 2017 at 6:24 pm
This recipe was super simple and so delicious! I used thin sliced chicken breasts and served with mixed greens salad. Will definitely be making again 🙂
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 19, 2017 at 11:36 am
  I'm so glad you liked it! We make it All. The. Time.
  Reply
Janet
August 04, 2017 at 9:40 pm
OMG... I had the thought of a "quick" chicken breast with cheese and fresh tomato slices but couldn't figure exactly how to do it. So glad I found this in all my searches. This recipe hit it. Love it and hubby was amazed. Will be making this many times. Thanks for the recipe.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  August 09, 2017 at 9:11 pm
  You're welcome! I'm so glad that you love it. It's a favorite around our house:)
  Reply
Karly
August 11, 2017 at 6:10 pm
This looks amaaaaze! Such a great weeknight recipe. Gotta try it soon!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  August 17, 2017 at 8:12 pm
  Thanks:) It's one of our favorites. I LOVE it because I can be super lazy and Joe and the boys love it because it tastes great! WIN for all.
  Reply
Suzanne Graham
December 01, 2017 at 5:04 pm
I'm making this now. Please can you add me to your email list?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  December 03, 2017 at 7:29 am
  I just added you:) Hope you loved the chicken!
  Reply
Nina
January 24, 2018 at 10:44 am
Just curious as to why you don’t brown the chicken in a pan and sear it first. You bake the raw chicken in a pan? My family is a family of cooks, with my brother actually having gone to the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, NY.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  January 27, 2018 at 10:05 am
  Hi Nina! I'm sure that would be great, but this recipe is kind of a "aaagghhh kids are hungry, I have no time to cook.. need something fast and easy" type situation:)
  Reply
Denise
January 29, 2018 at 10:51 pm
Just made this for my family and it was a hit! So good and so easy!!!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  February 01, 2018 at 8:24 am
  I'm so glad you liked it!
  Reply
Emily
February 10, 2018 at 3:22 pm
Can you make this with pork chops?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  February 11, 2018 at 9:32 am
  Hi Emily. I have never tried. I would guess you could, but the cooking times and temperature would be different.
  Reply
Chase
February 24, 2018 at 4:49 pm
I'm not saying organic meats or crops are bad in anyway, but please understand that chickens are not pumped full of growth hormones. The majority of the poultry industry, if not the entire industry, has gone to no antibiotics ever production. If a bird requires antibiotics for its well being it is no longer allowed to be sold for human consumption. And as far as I know, they never used growth hormones. The fact that birds are so much bigger than they used to be is because of genetics, not hormones.
On another note, this tasted great!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  March 04, 2018 at 4:06 pm
  I'm glad you liked it!
  Reply
Kristine
February 26, 2018 at 6:42 pm
I'm making this tonight! Using smoked provolone cheese as a substitute for the mozzarella and happen to have some leftover toasted pine nuts to sprinkle on top-YUM! Can't wait! Please add me to your list..
Thanks, Kristine
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  March 04, 2018 at 4:05 pm
  Hi Kristine I hope you love it! You will have to message me your email address at simplysissom.com for me to manually add you to my email list:)
  Reply
Doll
March 06, 2018 at 4:24 pm
This is a great recipe! Tomatoes are just coming into season here, great way to take advantage.
On another note, in the U.S., hormone use in poultry has been banned for many, many years. Our poultry here is safe.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  March 15, 2018 at 12:56 pm
  Thanks Doll!
  Reply
Melissa
March 11, 2018 at 7:32 pm
This is so good! I make some whole wheat angel hair and spoon some of the pan sauce on top of the noodles. Amazing!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  March 15, 2018 at 12:54 pm
  So glad you like dit! Angel hair + pan sauce sounds delicious!!!
  Reply
Colleen
March 28, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Love this recipe! So easy and delicious. I used sliced fresh mozzarella.
Reply
Erin
April 04, 2018 at 11:34 am
Hi! Going to try this tonight. One question, since fresh mozorella is such a soft cheese, doesnt it completely melt off the chicken if you're baking it for 350 degrees/30 minutes? I am wondering if I should maybe add the cheese and tomato at the 20 minute mark to prevent it from being too runny.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 13, 2018 at 2:36 pm
  I stick it all on there at once (mostly because I'm super lazy). That said... your method would work perfectly (possibly even better, lol).
  Reply
- Kees
  June 10, 2020 at 12:48 pm
  What happened to me.... The cheese and pesto started melting and now my oven is a mess! OOPS!
  Reply
Astrid
April 23, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Super easy and delicious!
Reply
Lucy
June 27, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Just made this tonight for my husband and me. We loved it!! So easy too. Will definitely make this for my friends. The thing I like about this dish that I like is that I have all the ingredients without having to go to the store. I got homemade pesto from my friend and couldn’t wait to use it. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  June 27, 2018 at 9:07 pm
  I'm so glad that you loved it!!! I wish I had a friend that gave me homemade pesto... sounds like a keeper!!!
  Reply
Francis
July 30, 2018 at 3:41 am
I've just made this and had to say it was delicious. Thanks
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 30, 2018 at 10:07 am
  I'm SO glad that you enjoyed:) Love getting comments like this!
  Reply
Lee
August 22, 2018 at 6:52 pm
Just made this Dish. Unbelievable. Can’t believe how good it was. Definitely will make it again
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  September 04, 2018 at 8:32 am
  I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!!!!
  Reply
Susan Sommers
See Also
7 Tips to Help Teens Find Life Balance (Mixify) + $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway
September 03, 2018 at 6:17 pm
I'm always skeptical when a recipe sounds too easy to be good! Well....this one proved me WRONG! I make pesto and put it in the freezer so I always have homemade pesto on hand (just thaw and serve). I used chicken tenders -- it cooks faster. I loved the broiler trick at the end. This recipe did not disappoint! I absolutely loved it and have filed it for future. I even printed a copy for a friend (who I gave some of my homemade pesto to)! Thank you for this super recipe!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  September 04, 2018 at 8:31 am
  Hi Susan!!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!! Super impressed with the homemade pesto hanging out in your fridge:) I hope your friend loves the recipe as well!
  Reply
Lindsey Beckwith
September 18, 2018 at 10:47 am
Made this for my family, and it was delicious! One daughter wouldn't touch it because it had green stuff on it, but the other daughter loved it. My husband I did, too. Served it with noodles covered in butter and parmesan, and tossed in some fresh mozzarella as well. Will definitely make this again.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  September 20, 2018 at 7:12 pm
  I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!!!
  Reply
Carlos M
October 01, 2018 at 10:19 pm
Amazing! so tasteful! Super easy and quick! Thank you! I would love to be included in your mailing list, easy five stars.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  November 11, 2018 at 3:50 pm
  I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!!!
  Reply
Emily
October 28, 2018 at 8:23 pm
Took longer than 30 minutes for me, but was still amazing! Chopped sweet potatoes and pan fried them in olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Delish!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  November 11, 2018 at 3:49 pm
  I'm so glad that you liked it!! Depending on chicken size it could def take longer than 30. To save time, try slicing your chicken breasts in half!
  Reply
Gina
November 29, 2018 at 11:27 am
My husband loves Chicken pesto! We only been married for around a year now... so this cooking thing is all new. THIS recipe was easy and we both loved it!!! I love finding new good recipes:)!
Reply
Brittany Smith
December 03, 2018 at 10:04 am
I love everything about your approach and delivery! From one SAHM to another, I’m all about the easy and healthy!! Please add me to your email list! 🙂 thank you!!!!!
Reply
Steffi
December 14, 2018 at 6:24 am
I was looking for something quick and easy to make and found your recipe. I’m glad I did! Thank you. This turned out great.
I added teriyaki sauce as a base first however and after adding chicken and pesto, I put some finely chopped onions. Then mozzarella, tomato and some chopped cillis for heat. It sounds like a mess, but it tastes great!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  December 25, 2018 at 7:44 pm
  Sounds delicious! So glad that you enjoyed it!!!
  Reply
Coleen Flathman
December 23, 2018 at 6:55 pm
You are awesome! My family loved this! It was so easy and delicious. Thank you!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  December 25, 2018 at 7:43 pm
  So glad that you enjoyed!!!!
  Reply
Steve
January 19, 2019 at 5:23 pm
Easy but tasteless. Definitely looks better, but is actually very bland. My family really didn't care for it at all.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  January 28, 2019 at 9:50 am
  I'm so sorry that you didn't enjoy the recipe. Since you are only using 4 ingredients, the pesto that you choose is really important. They all have different ingredients and different flavor levels. Switching that up could change the recipe drastically.
  Reply
Jori
January 20, 2019 at 11:32 am
I'm planning to make your Pesto Chicken Bake today. It looks delicious and simple. Thank you! I saw your comments about chicken and added growth hormones. FYI, chickens don't get growth hormones. They've been bred for size (like dogs). I think it's been 50-60 years that growth hormones have been illegal in the chicken industry. This site has great info about chicken and behind the scenes tours/blogs: https://www.chickencheck.in/blog/4-reasons-why-chickens-are-not-given-added-hormones/
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  January 28, 2019 at 9:47 am
  Hi Jori! You are absolutely correct. This is an old post and I appreciate the reminder to update this information. I plan on working on it today!
  Reply
Lynda Sarver
January 26, 2019 at 5:57 pm
So easy and delicious and I'm all about easy!! Please add me to you email list.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  January 28, 2019 at 9:45 am
  I'm so glad you enjoyed! I have added you to the email list!
  Reply
Lauren
January 30, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Thank you for being so honest I love it ! I’m not great in the kitchen so I’ve been trying to learn a few easy recipes to make for my partner. He absolutely loved this ! Super easy for me to make and beyond delicious.
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  February 13, 2019 at 12:39 pm
  I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! Hey.. everyone has got to start somewhere. I'm pretty sure my husband and I ate the store-bought rotisserie chickens and steerable veggies in a bag for the first year we were married:)
  Reply
Dave Street
February 06, 2019 at 8:13 am
Hello Bailey, I'm going to make this recipe for my wife and mother-in-law this evening. It sounds delicious! I'm trying to do more of the cooking, and I love the fact that there are only 4 ingredients. Please add me to your mailing list. Thanks so much.
Reply
Mikayla Martinez
February 08, 2019 at 10:45 am
This looks so good but I was looking for a recipe to use up the last of my shredded mozzarella
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  February 13, 2019 at 12:37 pm
  You could def use shredded mozzarella! This recipe is made for customization!
  Reply
Kim
March 10, 2019 at 2:53 pm
This tasted great. What is the container count for 21day fix?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  March 10, 2019 at 4:05 pm
  Hi Kim. Unfortunately I have no experience with the 21 day fix, but I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! All the nutrition facts are listed on the post, maybe you can find the info you are looking for there?
  Reply
Dusty
March 15, 2019 at 12:16 am
Made the "4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Bake" a couple of days ago...and it was wonderful! Thank you so much for such a lovely recipe. Made the "Dump and Bake Italian Chicken and Rice" tonight. It was fine too. I messed up probably adding too much Marinara and rice (I was trying to use the dregs in the containers), but it still came out tasting good, but perhaps a bit more dry than was intended. Still, it was good, and I will for sure try it again in the near future. Thank you again for your wonderful recipes. Love them, I do. My kind of cooking. Going to go through your entire post to see how many more I'm going to add to my "regular" recipes. 🙂
Take care and be well my lady.
Reply
Bryan
March 21, 2019 at 8:53 pm
Bailey,
I made this recipe for my wife this evening for her birthday. It was fantastic! She and our children loved it. (Along with myself) 😁 The only thing I wrestled with was the length of time for cooking. It took well over the 30 minute cook time suggested. It may have had to do with variance in ovens and the way I may have prepared the chicken. However, thank you for the recipe idea! It was a hit and we will be using it again soon.
Sincerely
Bryan
Reply
Ryan
April 05, 2019 at 3:40 pm
Love the recipe! Amazingly simple, yet delicious.
I’ve actually found the chicken to be much more juicy if I cook it at 450f for about 16 minutes vs. the slower way of 350 for 30. Either way you choose, it’s awesome!
Cheers!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 24, 2019 at 1:46 pm
  So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the tip:)
  Reply
Anne Cochran
April 14, 2019 at 11:11 am
I am not a tomato lover. What would you suggest for replacement?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  April 24, 2019 at 1:45 pm
  Just leave them off!
  Reply
Jack Warner
May 06, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Made this today with Cauliflower cheese and asparagus. Too delicious for words. It played a pleasant tune on my taste buds.
Reply
Jen
May 15, 2019 at 3:29 pm
You are my new hero! Thank you for these quick and practical recipes!
Reply
Caligirl
May 25, 2019 at 7:45 pm
This is quite possibly one of the best chicken recipes ever!!! I am giving it 4 ⭐️ only bc I have made it a few times cooking it as described but the chicken seems underdone even though I cook it as prescribed and using the thermometer. I found letting it cook for 15 mins more makes a huge difference! Though the chicken was “technically” cooked at 30-35 mins it still had a weird texture that I couldn’t deal with. Cooked it for another 15 and it turns out amazing! Maybe my chicken breasts are large but the extra time let’s the cheese brown a little and the chicken comes out a little more flakey. Much bett r!!!
Reply
grace
June 26, 2019 at 9:45 pm
Really enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much (:
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 12, 2019 at 12:54 pm
  Thank you for the great review:)
  Reply
Angie Lilly
July 16, 2019 at 6:35 am
I’ve made this chicken twice and love the flavor but I’m having trouble with the juices it accumulates. When it’s done baking the baking dish is full of fluids? Is this normal? How do I keep this from happening? I have turned the broiler on for the last 5 minutes to cook the tomatoes a little more but the amount of juice I feel isn’t correct? Any recommendations? Will definitely continue making this recipe ... it’s delicious!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 25, 2019 at 12:57 pm
  It's juicy when I make it too. Super challenging to take "pretty" pics of this one. It's just not a beauty, lol. That said.. it still tastes great!
  Reply
- Susan Sommers
  July 25, 2019 at 6:50 pm
  A couple of things you can do to make this chicken come out not so juicy.. I used Chicken Tenders for one thing ... but watch them because they cook faster and could dry out a little. The second thing I did was put a rack on top of my cookie sheet and let the juices drain off that way. -- I also used the broiler. We love this dish and I've made it several times!
  Reply
daniel
July 18, 2019 at 5:10 am
I like the food presentation,it looks simple and nice.attractive to the eyes
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 25, 2019 at 12:57 pm
  Thank you!
  Reply
Lisa
July 19, 2019 at 8:49 pm
Do you have to cover the chicken with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven?
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  July 25, 2019 at 12:56 pm
  Nope!
  Reply
Beth
September 06, 2019 at 6:24 pm
Love this simple, quick and easy recipe , but had plenty of time for 4 hr Italian dressing marinate then seared chicken. Baked . Added tomato and mozzarella near end of cooking time . Finished with Broil , adding Parmesan cheese onto of tomatoes
Reply
Jackie
September 09, 2019 at 7:48 pm
Made this tonight but used sun dried tomato pesto as my husband isn't a fan of pesto. It was really good, I served it with mashed cauliflower. Thank you!
Reply
- Bailey Sissom
  September 17, 2019 at 2:42 pm
  Ooohhh, I love sun-dried tomato pesto! Your version sounds yummy!!!
  Reply
KAMILIA
November 24, 2019 at 5:40 am
SO in love with this flavor combination, looks like a great weekday dinner!
Reply
ringtonesdump.com
December 26, 2019 at 10:38 am
Easy four ingredient recipe for a simple weeknight dinner. Pesto coated chicken with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Great for postop bariatric surgery patients!
Reply
calcula
January 01, 2020 at 8:36 am
Kids loved it. very good and easy recipe, i tried it last night
Reply
Niraj J H
January 24, 2020 at 12:40 am
Really it's beautifully written and enjoyed your recipe. Thanks for your post
Reply
Karen S Nielsen
June 26, 2020 at 9:07 pm
Albeit unlikely, I'm posting a last minute request for advice on the off chance that someone might see, know and respond quickly. The chicken is seared and I just got the mozzarella out of the refrigerator... it is moldy! I have slices of Swiss and Monterey Jack (not moldy...lol) - will either of these suffice?? OH, HEY! We also have string cheese...ugh!!!
My fav aspect of this recipe is that it is officially my daughter's FAVORITE meal...HER words. So sincerest thanks possible.
Reply
Mary
July 14, 2020 at 10:25 pm
I'm sure you mean cover each breast with pesto, cheese, and 2 tomato slices, not 2 sliced tomatoes
Reply
Kathrine
July 15, 2020 at 12:08 am
After a long day outside I didn't want to cook at all. However, I stumbled upon this recipe, rushed off to the grocery store, made it and boy was it amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and didn't have any problems. My chicken breasts were pretty thick so I baked them for the full 30 and then did the broil for an additional 2 minutes. So approx. 32 minutes total baking time for me and the breasts turned out perfectly cooked and moist and juicy. I found that the tomatoes would slide off the chicken from the melting mozzarella so I took them out and repositioned them to that they were in the right place for the broiling. Highly recommend this dish as it is so easy to make and super delicious! Will add this to the regular rotation!
Reply
Teetine
July 19, 2020 at 10:32 pm
Beautiful, delicious and easy to make. your recicpe is great. I love it. Thanks you for sharing
Reply
thegiftsports
July 19, 2020 at 10:36 pm
I always like simplicity. So I really like this dish. Very simple and beautiful look. I think it will be delicious. I will try it.
Reply
Raul Baptiste
August 09, 2020 at 12:24 am
So easy and tastes so so good!
Reply
Lesslie
August 19, 2020 at 11:37 am
This looks Delicious! i'll try it. Thank you for this recipe!
Reply
Kristin
August 19, 2020 at 12:52 pm
I made this recipe for my wife this evening for her birthday.
Reply
Kristin
August 19, 2020 at 12:52 pm
great!!!!
Reply
Angelica
August 20, 2020 at 9:39 pm
Delicious! It came out just perfect and tasted amazing.
Reply
Lisa
August 26, 2020 at 11:12 pm
very nice! I love baking than frying or something. Much protein in it!
thank you!
Reply
Dandre
September 17, 2020 at 10:12 pm
I wasn’t a big fan of chicken breasts but this recipe changed my mind. It is so tender & juicy I couldn’t believe it. Thanks you again for such a wonderful recipe & convincing me to liking chicken breasts now!!!
Reply
Felipa
November 04, 2020 at 9:31 pm
What an easy, delicious recipe. Huge hit with everyone in the family. And so simple. Thanks for this.
Reply
Gwyneth
April 08, 2021 at 6:01 am
So easy to follow! Great.. I will make it tomorrow!
Reply
Jen
April 27, 2021 at 9:39 pm
It's pretty rare that I'll make a recipe as written because most cooks use way too much sodium, don't know about proper cook times/temps etc. I made this one as-is (with one addition: I added fresh basil between the pesto and the cheese and it was delicious! I will absolutely be adding this to my repertoire!
Reply
martha skala
May 20, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Made this for myself tonight..wish I could post my photo..it was SCRUMPTIOUS!! One breast in my countertop oven.
Had it over angel hair..just delicious! Thank you! Hope to do again with a boneless thigh n try it with red pesto
.
Reply
Nina
September 13, 2021 at 9:17 pm
I made this tonight & OMG, a big hit! So easy, no mess, & super delicious! Thank you for sharing & creating!
Reply
Deb
October 09, 2022 at 10:31 am
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now. It is super easy and quick. I used to use the tomatoes but enjoy it with out. I use Wegmans homemade pesto. This recipe is always a hit. Delicious, tender and juicy. Family enjoys seconds or leftovers as well.
Reply
Susan
December 19, 2022 at 8:37 am
I never, ever bother to rate or comment on recipes - good or bad. Honestly, it’s because most just end up mediocre. I had to come back to this one, though!!
I’m always looking for fast dinner recipes because I have a newborn - made this last night and loved it!! After researching best canned pestos, I used Delallo brand pesto from Kroger, the whole jar. Skipped searing to keep it simple, and made sure to generously salt and pepper the chicken. I always use a meat thermometer so it’s never dry. This will be a new staple in our house, and I don’t even normally like pesto! Served with yeast rolls and salad. Love, love, love this recipe.
Reply
Allison
February 20, 2023 at 11:13 am
Excited to make this tonight. Please add me to your email list.
Reply
Supriya Kutty
July 24, 2023 at 2:01 am
The recipe showcases a delightful combination of sweet and savory, with a harmonious blend of flavors that will delight your taste buds.
Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.