Baked Pesto Caprese Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken layered with pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella for an easy Italian-inspired dinner ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

02 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

03 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

04 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced

05 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

06 - 4 tbsp pesto

07 - 1 tbsp olive oil

08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.

02 - Place chicken breasts in the prepared dish. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

03 - Spread a tablespoon of pesto evenly over the top of each chicken breast.

04 - Arrange tomato slices over the pesto-coated chicken, distributing evenly across all pieces.

05 - Top each breast with fresh mozzarella slices. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top if using.

06 - Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the entire dish.

07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and cheese is golden and bubbly.

08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving hot.

01 -

The pesto keeps the chicken incredibly moist even after baking, so no dry chicken disasters
It comes together in under 10 minutes of prep but tastes like something from a restaurant
Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any

02 -

Dont pile the toppings too high or the chicken will take forever to cook through while the cheese burns
Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes after baking or all those juices will run out onto your cutting board

03 -

If your pesto is too thick to spread easily, thin it with a little olive oil first
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve so excess liquid drains back into the dish