Easy Baked Pesto Chicken

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken is a tasty dinner to make with purchased pesto, or use homemade pesto if you have some! And this easy five-ingredient low-carb baked chicken recipe is probably something the whole family will enjoy!

Pin Easy Baked Pesto Chicken to try it later!

When I first made Easy Baked Pesto Chicken, I loved what a flavorful dinner it was. But I didn’t realize it would become one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Now it’s been pinned millions of times and visited over and over on my website! And I’ve made this many times myself.

I got the inspiration for a Baked Pesto Chicken recipe years ago when I was browsing in The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. That was in the summer, and when it’s summer at my house there’s fresh basil on the counter, I’m freezing basil for winter, and I’m making Basil Pesto with Lemon. So it’s not surprising that a recipe using pesto would catch my eye.

But this recipe is also great with purchased pesto. I’m a fan of Kirkland Basil Pesto, so that’s what I’d use if I don’t have homemade pesto in the freezer. I hope you try the recipe if you’re also a pesto fan!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning chicken
• Basil Pesto (affiliate link), or Basil Pesto with Lemon
• grated Mozzarella cheese

Is this baked chicken with pesto a kid-friendly dish?

A few years after I posted this recipe I started working out with a trainer named Wendy. Then one day she told me she had searched the recipe for her kids’ favorite chicken dish, and it was this recipe from my blog! So if you’re wondering if this can be kid-friendly, Wendy says her kids love this Baked Pesto Chicken. Wendy serves it with pasta for the kids, but I’d serve with one of the options below for a tasty low-carb meal.

Can you make Baked Pesto Chicken with pesto from the store?

You can certainly make this ultra-easy main dish with purchased basil pesto, which is what the inspiring recipe called for. But when I have some on hand, I’d always make it with my homemade pesto from the freezer.

How low in carbs is the Easy Baked Pesto Chicken?

This flavorful chicken dish only has 3 net carbs per serving, with 48 grams of protein! And this tasty chicken dish is also gluten-free.

How to Make Easy Baked Pesto Chicken:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. Trim chicken breasts and cut into lengthwise strips. (I save scraps in the freezer and use them to make homemade chicken stock.)
2. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 cup basil pesto over the bottom of the dish.
3. Lay chicken strips over the pesto and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
4. Spread another 1/4 cup of basil pesto over chicken strips.
5. Cover dish with foil and bake at 375F/190C for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is barely cooked through. (Don’t cook too long at this stage, or the chicken will be overcooked when the cheese is melted.)
6. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or a little more) over the top and bake about 5 minutes more, or until cheese is melted. (If your broiler is separate from the oven, start preheating it.)
7. I wanted the cheese to be lightly browned, so after 5 minutes I switched to broil for just long enough to get some color on the cheese.
8. That’s all there is to making this easy and delicious low-carb chicken dinner!
9. Serve Easy Baked Pesto Chicken hot, and I hope this will become a favorite in your household!

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

Baked Pesto Chicken would be delicious with either Pureed Cauliflower with Garlic, Parmesan, and Goat Cheese or Easy Cauliflower Rice to smother with the flavorful sauce that will be left in the dish. (It would also be amazing with Greek Lemon Rice if you don’t mind having more carbs!)

Or serve with one of these low-carb side dishes:

Want more low-carb dinners with pesto?

If you still have more basil pesto after you make this, check out my other Amazing Recipes with Pesto!

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week! This recipe can easily be doubled if you want leftovers to reheat later.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Baked Pesto Chicken would be great for low-carb and Keto diets. If you use low-fat Mozzarella, it could work for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. For low-carb eating plans, full-fat Mozzarella would be preferred.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This popular recipe was first posted in 2010 (probably with a photo that would make me shudder if I saw it now.) The recipe was updated in 2022 and last updated with more information in 2026.