Chicken breasts with a cheddar-crumb topping, nestled in a creamy pesto sauce on a bed of roasted cherry tomatoes. This Easy Baked Pesto Chicken is a mouth-watering easy dinner that doesn't require any pre-cooking. Just add it all the dish and bake.
One-pan cooking doesn't have to be all about same-coloured food that spends all day in the slow cooker. Whilst I am a huge fan of coming home to a meltingly tender pork ragu or spicy chicken curry, sometimes we're out too early to start something cooking, and home too late and don't have a lot of time, but still want a delicious meal.
It's those days when you need a meal like this. All cooked in one tray, you can have a beautiful meal on the table in half an hour - and two-thirds of that time can be spent sat on the sofa enjoying a cup of tea.
The textures and flavours will make you so happy you skipped the beans on toast!
What do we need?
How to make this Pesto Chicken
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.***
- Chop up cherry tomatoes and mix with a little cornflour, salt and pepper, then stir in garlic, stock and pesto.
- Top the tomatoes with chicken breasts and spoon a little pesto on each, then sprinkle on some grated cheddar.
- Add my seasoned panko mixture (see the recipe card)
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- If you like, sprinkle on a few pine nuts halfway through the cooking time (Note: I'm adding them halfway through because I've tested this recipe and they'll burn if they're in the oven for the whole time).
- Once cooked, stir a little cream into the sauce.
Sprinkle with a few fresh basil leaves before serving.
What to serve it with
- Homemade Pasta
- Crispy Roast Potatoes
- Easy Artisan Bread
- Pan-Fried Sauté Potatoes
- Easy Garlic Bread
Ingredient swaps
- Try swapping out the pesto for harissa and adding olives for a spicy version.
- Try swapping the pesto for barbeque sauce and throw in some chorizo for a smoky version.
More Italian Inspired Recipes
- Lasagne
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Tomato Risotto
- Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
- Tuscan Chicken Soup
- Pizza Fries < OK not really that Italian but I think it qualifies as Italian inspired!
Watch how to make it
Easy Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g (14oz) cherry/grape tomatoes - sliced in half
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 chicken stock cube - mixed with 120ml (½ cup) boiling water
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh pesto
- 4 small chicken breasts - or 2 large chicken breasts, sliced in half to make 4 fillets
- 60 g (2.1 oz or just over hafd a cup) cheddar cheese - grated
- 25 g (½ cup) panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
To finish:
- 3 tbsp double (heavy) cream
- Fresh basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Place the cherry tomatoes in the bottom of a baking dish and sprinkle over the cornflour, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper. Toss together with your hands.
- Add the garlic, stock, red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp of pesto and stir together.
- Top the tomatoes with the 4 chicken breasts.
- Spread the remaining 2 tbsp of pesto on the chicken breasts and sprinkle on the cheese.
- Mix together the panko breadcrumbs, paprika, olive oil and the remaining ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the mixture on top of the chicken.
- Place in the oven to cook for 10 minutes, then sprinkle over the pine nuts.
- Place back in the oven to cook for a further 10-15 minutes - until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and stir the cream into the liquid and tomatoes in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle fresh basil leaves over the dish and serve with some fresh pasta or some boiled potatoes.
Video
✎ Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was first posted in October 2014. Updated in November 2020 with new photos, video and improvements to the recipe.
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Irene Long says
Gorgeous! I love your recipes and have used lots of them. They are my ‘go to’ recipes as they are always so tasty and yet easy to make with ingredients that are readily available. Thank you!
Linda, Kefalonia says
If you can't get cherry tomatoes, could you just use ordinary tomatoes cut into quarters?
Sadie Fletcher says
Trying this tonight.
Thanks for the tip Linda, re orzo pasta - wouldn’t have thought about that, but it sounds perfect for my family
Michelle Rolfe says
This is a fabulous dish! I very seldom put anything on the table that both my teen girls will devour! This is one of them (the other being your sticky sesame chicken!). Thanks so much, quantities are perfect and we usually serve with orzo pasta. Cheers, Michelle x
Liam Redrup says
Brilliant and so easy. Perfect family food.
Siobhan says
Gorgeous! Everyone really enjoyed it. As with all your recipes, so tasty, minimum fuss! ❤️
Mary Glover says
Made this for dinner tonight it was really easy and delicious. I used creme fraiche instead of cream and served with broccoli
Jodie says
Quick and delicious. We had leftovers and one of my daughters put dibbs on the leftovers for lunch the next day. We will definitely make this recipe again.
Ulli says
Very delicious....especially when you use self made pesto.
This is the forth recipe in four days from your side I have prepared for my family. My 3 girls are looking forward for the next one.....The Cream of Broccoli Soup this evening.
Cheers from Frankfurt/Germany
Nuala says
Really loved this. I used creme fraiche instead of cream because that’s what I had in fridge. I got around the reheating issue by only adding it to the portion I was eating immediately. When reheating I covered the sauce and chicken with tin foil in oven for 15 mins and uncovered for another 5/10 mins and added the creme fraiche just before serving. Really tasty!
Nicky Corbishley says
I like the creme fraiche idea - sounds great! So happy you liked it 🙂
Lesley says
What a lovely recipe, that’s tomorrow nights dinner sorted!
Tom says
Love one-pot dishes, we tried this the other night for a quick tasty mid week dinner, and we weren't disappointed. Fab.
Chloe @ The Loveliest Food says
This recipe looks delicious! My other half would absolutely love this, I'm veggie so I'm always on the look out for easy meals I can whip up for him with meat, thanks for sharing!
Chloe x
Nicky Corbishley says
Glad you like it Chloe. A pan for him, and a pan for you - maybe replacing the chicken with halloumi and/or baby new potatoes? yum!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
This chicken roast looks SO delicious. Definitely craving some to devour right now!
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Thalia, it's great for a quick dinner 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
I love one pot meals, and this looks delicious.
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Julia, it sure is 🙂