Pesto chicken broccoli bake is a one-pan dinner bursting with flavor.
I mentioned this recipe a month ago, and it’s too good not to share. I have been making this chicken bake for a while, and it has become a favorite. This newest addition also has chicken, broccoli, and cheese, which is always a great combination. Tomatoes and pesto are wonderful additions to an already flavorful dish. They add an Italian-style flair, which I found really delicious.
Both recipes contain cottage cheese. Thanks to its high protein content, it is having a moment. It makes the dish creamy, filling, and satisfying.
Elements
Egg: Gives the dish structure.
Cottage Cheese: I am not picky about my cottage cheese; I like it all. Hubby will tell you that ALDI has the best cottage cheese. Judging by how often we find it out of stock, it seems that a lot of people agree.
Basil Pesto: I love adding pesto to recipes. It adds a zesty, herby flavor.
Olive Oil: Used to sauté the chicken and broccoli.
Broccoli: One of our favorite vegetables. We love broccoli simply roasted, or as part of so many delicious recipes.
Chicken Breast: I use one large chicken breast for this recipe.
Tomatoes: Two tomatoes are used for this recipe.
Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella cheese is perfect with tomatoes and pesto.
Parmesan Cheese: Sharp, salty Parmesan adds a great touch.
Preparation
After preheating your oven, start by sautéing your broccoli. The goal here is to soften it a bit before it goes in the pan to finish while the dish bakes.
Once the broccoli has softened, add the chicken to the same skillet. Again, the chicken doesn’t need to be completely cooked through, just browned a bit.
Stir together the egg and cottage cheese, then stir in the pesto. Chop the tomatoes. Use a paper towel to absorb some juice before adding it to the egg and cheese mixture. You don’t have to drain every drop, but the dish will be very wet if all the juice is added. Add the broccoli, chicken, and mozzarella cheese. Stir together and transfer to your baking dish. Sprinkle with parm.
Bake until the cheese is lightly browned and the dish is bubbling, about 35 minutes.
Let the dish sit for five minutes before serving.
Pesto Chicken Broccoli Bake
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2 Tbsp basil pesto
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups broccoli chopped
- 1 chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped and drained of excess juice
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil. Sauté the broccoli for 3-4 minutes until somewhat tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Season your chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Add a little more olive oil if needed and cook your chicken until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg, cottage cheese and pesto. Add the tomatoes, broccoli, mozzarella and chicken to the cottage cheese mixture and toss to combine all.
- Transfer to a 11×7 rectangle baking dish and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.