Pesto Bruschetta Chicken (Printable version)

Tender chicken baked with pesto, fresh tomato bruschetta topping, and melted mozzarella cheese.

# 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)

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hot pesto and cool bruschetta create this incredible temperature contrast that makes every bite exciting
  • It looks impressive enough for dinner guests but comes together with almost zero effort
02 -
  • Dont skip letting the chicken rest at the end those first few minutes make the difference between juicy and dry meat
  • If your chicken breasts are thick pound them to even thickness so they all finish cooking at the same time
03 -
  • If your bruschetta seems too watery after sitting just drain off some of the liquid before adding it to the chicken
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly so take it out of the fridge about twenty minutes before starting

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