Cheesy Chicken Pesto is full of wonderful flavor. Wonderful ingredients like basil pesto and mozzarella cheese come together to create this delicious dish. It is quick and easy, but it still seems a little bit fancy.
I used to bake my pesto chicken, but recently decided to pan-fry it. Using a skillet instead of the oven is a little more labor-intensive, but I thought it was worth it. Especially when I decided to coat the chicken with egg and panko bread crumbs.
Coating the chicken gives the dish a chicken parmesan feel. Breaded chicken, tomatoes, and cheese. It’s hard to go wrong with that.
Elements
Chicken Breast: I use one large chicken breast, cut in half.
Salt & Pepper: To enhance the flavor of the chicken.
Egg: Adds flavor and allows the bread crumbs to stick to the chicken.
Breadcrumbs: I always use Panko breadcrumbs. They are light and crispy.
Pesto: Adding a few teaspoons of pesto adds so much flavor to this dish. I typically use this jarred variety from ALDI.
Tomato: I love the combination of tomatoes and pesto. This ravioli featuring them together is one of my favorites.
Mozzarella Cheese: Melty, stretchy mozzarella cheese is perfect with the pesto and tomato. I typically open a bag of shredded cheese, but a block of cheese or fresh mozzarella would be great.
Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan is the finishing touch.
Preparation
Split the chicken breast into two evenly sized pieces. It can be easier to slice the chicken when it is still slightly frozen. I like to flatten out the chicken pieces to a similar width if needed so they cook evenly.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. At this point, you can place the chicken in your baking dish or a skillet drizzled with oil. If you are using the pan-fry method and want to add an extra step, it’s not hard: coat the chicken with egg and breadcrumbs. Otherwise, just place the seasoned chicken in the skillet and pan-fry for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Top the chicken with the pesto. Add the tomato and cheeses. If you are baking the chicken, bake it until the cheese is melted. If I am pan-frying the chicken, I like to cover it to help melt the cheese.
Serve cheesy chicken pesto with a salad, baked potato, or roasted vegetables.
Enjoy!
Cheesy Chicken Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced in half
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten *see note
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs I prefer Panko *see note
- 4 tsp basil pesto
- 1 small tomato sliced thin
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
To Pan Fry Chicken
- Dry the chicken with a paper towel. Slice the chicken breast horizontally to create two thin pieces of chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg on a small plate or shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a second plate. Coat the chicken on both sides with egg, then dredge through the bread crumbs.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet. Add both pieces of chicken. Sauté on one side until browned. Flip the chicken and cook on the other side until the chicken is just done.
- Spread pesto over each piece of chicken and top with tomato slices, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid until the cheese is melted.
To Bake Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment if desired for easy clean-up. Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spread about 1 tsp of pesto over each piece of chicken.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.