If you're looking for an easy dinner that's absolutely delicious, you'll definitely want to try this baked pesto chicken caprese recipe! It's perfect for busy weeknights, as it comes together quickly with minimal effort. This baked chicken is one of my new favorite recipes because it's simple and uses lots of fresh ingredients, like cherry tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese.
Brining the Chicken
Brining the chicken is a super helpful step when wanting to bake chicken that's tender and full of flavor. Chicken breast (especially when baked) can easily be dry and tough if it's even a little bit overcooked. Brining the meat ahead of time is the easiest, practically foolproof way to cook the best tender and juicy chicken!
So, how do you brine meat? After pounding out the chicken, submerse it in a bowl of saltwater. Then let it sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking. It's that simple! It only takes a few minutes, and brining makes for the best chicken.
How to Make Baked Pesto Chicken Caprese
After brining the chicken and patting it dry, it's time to add the pesto. Spread pesto on the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan, then place the chicken in a single layer on top. Then, cover the top of each chicken breast with more pesto so that the meat is completely covered. I like to use the Classico traditional basil pesto, but use whatever kind you like!
While the chicken bakes, prepare the tomato topping. This consists of quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper, mixed together in a medium-sized bowl. Once the chicken has baked for 10 minutes, take it out of the oven and place slices of fresh mozzarella cheese on top. Then, evenly spread the tomato mixture on top of the cheese. The chicken will bake for another 10 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° F.
This baked pesto chicken recipe pairs well with a variety of side dishes, like some roasted garlic parmesan cauliflower, or some roasted garlic bread. It also pairs nicely with any potato recipe, like these twice baked potatoes or this cheesy hash brown casserole. This recipe is also perfect for meal prep--make a large batch and store leftovers in the fridge for several days!
If you try out this baked pesto chicken caprese or any of my other recipes, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe, or if you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future.
Now get cooking, and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- sea salt (to brine the chicken)
- ¾ cup pesto
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Pound out the chicken breasts so that they are about ½-3/4 inch thick. Fill a large bowl with about 4 cups of water and mix in 4 tablespoons of salt. Add the chicken breasts to the salt water, cover the bowl, and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Spray a 9x13 glass pan with cooking spray. Evenly spread 3 tablespoons of pesto on the bottom of the glass pan.
- Drain the salt water from the bowl and pat the chicken dry. Place the chicken in the glass pan in a single layer. Cover the top of each chicken breast with the remaining pesto. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, mix the quartered cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Slice the mozzarella cheese into 8 slices.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and place the mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken breast. Then evenly spread the tomato mixture on top of the cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F.
- Allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes, drain some of the excess oil and then serve immediately. Enjoy!
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