Description
A flavorful and easy Pesto Chicken Bake featuring tender chicken cutlets topped with garlic, fresh pesto, juicy tomato slices, and melted mozzarella cheese, baked to perfection for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds chicken breast cut into 4 cutlets
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Salt, to taste
Toppings
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400ºF to prepare for baking the chicken evenly.
- Prepare chicken: Place chicken cutlets in a single even layer in a baking dish. Lightly season each cutlet with salt.
- Add garlic and pesto: Spread 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic evenly over each chicken cutlet. Then, add 1 tablespoon of pesto on each cutlet and spread it evenly across the surface.
- Layer tomatoes and cheese: Place 2-3 slices of fresh tomato on top of each chicken cutlet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over each piece.
- Bake chicken: Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and cook for 22-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF and the juices run clear.
- Rest before serving: Remove the dish from the oven, cover it, and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes to lock in juices before serving.
Notes
- A typical chicken breast weighs about 16 ounces, so butterfly-cutting them in half creates proper-sized cutlets and reduces cooking time.
- You can buy chicken breasts already portioned into cutlets if preferred for convenience.
- Resting the chicken after baking allows juices to redistribute for a moister texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet with toppings
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
