Baked Pesto Caprese Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken topped with pesto, tomatoes, and melted mozzarella

# What You'll Need:

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

02 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

03 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

04 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced

05 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

06 - 4 tbsp pesto (store-bought or homemade)

07 - 1 tbsp olive oil

08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.

02 - Place chicken breasts in the prepared dish. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

03 - Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto evenly over the top of each chicken breast.

04 - Arrange tomato slices over the pesto-coated chicken, distributing evenly.

05 - Place fresh mozzarella slices over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan if using.

06 - Lightly drizzle olive oil over the assembled chicken breasts.

07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and cheese is golden and bubbly.

08 - Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

01 -

Weeknight elegance without the weekday stress or complicated techniques
That magic moment when hot pesto meets cool mozzarella creates the most incredible sauce

02 -

Don't skip drying your mozzarella or you will end up with a watery pool in your baking dish
Thicker chicken breasts might need an extra 5-10 minutes so always check that the meat reaches 74°C internally

03 -

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving so all those juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate
Use a baking dish just big enough to fit the chicken in a single layer for the most concentrated flavor