Pesto Bruschetta Chicken (Printable version)

Tender chicken breasts with pesto, tomato bruschetta topping, and melted mozzarella.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 pounds)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

→ Pesto

06 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Bruschetta Topping

07 - 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
08 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
13 - ½ teaspoon salt
14 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese

15 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 5 ounces)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or sheet pan with cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Rub each breast with olive oil, then season evenly with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Place seasoned chicken in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Spoon 1 tablespoon of basil pesto over each chicken breast, spreading it evenly to cover the top surface.
04 - Place baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes to partially cook the chicken.
05 - While chicken bakes, combine diced tomatoes, red onion, minced garlic, chopped fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Toss well to combine all flavors and set aside.
06 - Remove chicken from oven after 15 minutes. Top each breast with one-quarter of the bruschetta mixture, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over all pieces.
07 - Return dish to oven and bake for an additional 8–10 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and cheese is melted and bubbly with light golden spots.
08 - Let chicken rest for 3–5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute. Serve with any remaining bruschetta mixture spooned over the top or on the side.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The pesto keeps the chicken incredibly juicy while baking so you never deal with dry breast meat again
  • You get that restaurant quality bruschetta flavor without turning on your oven for hours
02 -
  • I once skipped resting the chicken and all those juices ran out onto the plate making everything watery
  • If your chicken breasts are huge thick ones, they might need an extra few minutes in the oven before adding toppings
03 -
  • If your pesto is really thick, stir in a tiny bit of olive oil so it spreads easier over the chicken
  • Room temperature tomatoes release more juice into the bruschetta than cold ones straight from the fridge

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