Description
This Pesto Baked Chicken with Tomatoes is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender chicken breasts marinated in pesto and balsamic vinegar, then baked with a vibrant tomato and shallot mixture, finished with melted mozzarella cheese and fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pesto Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon pesto
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Tomatoes
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely sliced shallots
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine the pesto, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a freezer bag. Add the chicken breasts, press out the air, seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the chicken. Let it marinate for 30-60 minutes or up to 1 day for deeper flavor.
- Preheat the oven and prepare the tomato mixture: Preheat your oven to 425° F. Halve the cherry tomatoes, leaving some whole if desired. In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, shallots, pesto, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and grated garlic. Mix well.
- Assemble and bake: Place the marinated chicken breasts in the middle of a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Scatter the tomato mixture evenly around the chicken breasts.
- Bake the chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-24 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F and is cooked through.
- Add cheese and finish baking: In the last 2-3 minutes of baking, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Continue baking until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven, garnish with freshly chopped basil, and serve warm.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate the chicken for the full 1 day 30 minutes, but a minimum of 30 minutes will also work.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the chicken and tomato mixture to a baking dish before placing in the oven.
- Cherry tomatoes can be swapped for grape tomatoes or diced regular tomatoes if preferred.
- Use dairy-free cheese or skip the cheese to make this recipe vegan, adjusting for plant-based chicken alternatives.
- To check doneness, use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165° F internally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
