Easy One-Pan Creamy Pesto Chicken and Veggie Bake
Make a flavorful, satisfying dinner with this simple one-pan creamy pesto chicken bake. This recipe uses everyday ingredients for big flavor and offers quick cleanup.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 cup prepared basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, heavy cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. This creates your creamy pesto sauce.
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the creamy pesto sauce evenly over the chicken, making sure to coat the tops well.
- In the same bowl (no need to wash it), toss the broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables around the chicken in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining pesto sauce over the vegetables.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle the tops of the chicken and vegetables with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the chicken with the roasted vegetables and extra sauce from the pan.
Notes
- For a low carb chicken bake, skip adding pasta and focus on high-volume vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers instead of broccoli.
- If you prefer baked chicken thighs with pesto, reduce the total cooking time by about 5 to 7 minutes.
- To make this a chicken bake with pasta, cook 8 ounces of penne or rotini separately. After the chicken is cooked through, stir the cooked pasta into the sauce in the pan and bake for 5 more minutes to heat through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with vegetables
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 120
Find it online: https://www.purecookingjoy.com/pesto-chicken-bake-recipe-easy/