Tomato and Pesto Baked Chicken

Are you always looking for some easy and delicious ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts? I know I am! It’s my hard working hubby’s favorite lean protein, and so I’m kinda constantly searching for simple, but tasty chicken recipes, so that our family won’t get tired of chicken for dinner.

When I don’t want to deal with the grill, and I didn’t get the crock-pot started hours earlier, I need a baked chicken breast recipe that I can whip up easily in under an hour, and this recipe fits the bill!

This Tomato and Pesto Baked Chicken is juicy, flavorful and certainly not boring, and it kinda makes its own sauce as it bakes!

Tomato and Pesto Baked Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, thawed not frozen)
• 1/2 cup Pesto sauce (I use store bought Basil pesto or Sun-dried Tomato pesto)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Chicken broth
• 14.5 ounce can Fire-Roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• Salt and Pepper

Either one of these kinds of pesto will taste great with this recipe, and since I love them both, I’ll let you choose.  🙂

For these pictures I used sundried tomato pesto.  🙂

Directions:

Step 1: Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, then add your chicken breasts.

Step 2: Lightly salt and pepper both sides of each breast.

Step 3: Stir together pesto sauce, mustard, vinegar, chicken broth and entire can of tomatoes with juice.

Step 4: Spoon the sauce mixture over and around the chicken breasts.

Step 5: Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees, and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until internal chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If your chicken breasts are thin, it may not take this long for them to bake, so use your meat thermometer to check for doneness.

Step 6: When you take it out of the oven, use a large spoon or measuring cup to scoop up the juicy sauce in the dish and baste it all over the chicken breasts, so they will be extra nice and juicy. Also let the chicken rest for 5 or so minutes before serving, so the juices inside will redistribute.

Tips to note: If your oven tends to run extra hot, bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit the entire time, instead of 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, how long you cook your chicken breasts totally depends on how thick they are. The thicker the chicken breast the longer you have to bake them. If they’re thin, the less time. Just make sure the inside of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t bake these on the top rack in your oven if it’s close to the broilers, because the mixture on top will burn before the chicken is cooked properly. Bake it more in the middle of the oven.

I know it’s a lot of notes, but I want your chicken to be wonderful!  🙂

Print

Tomato and Pesto Baked Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4

Author Joyful Homemaking

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, thawed not frozen)
• 1/2 cup Pesto sauce (I use store bought Basil pesto or Sun-dried Tomato pesto)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup Chicken broth
• 14.5 ounce can Fire-Roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, then add your chicken breasts.
• Lightly salt and pepper both sides of each breast.
• Stir together pesto sauce, mustard, vinegar, chicken broth and entire can of tomatoes with juice.
• Spoon the sauce mixture over and around the chicken breasts.
• Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees, and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until internal chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If your chicken breasts are thin, it may not take this long for them to bake, so use your meat thermometer to check for doneness.
• When you take it out of the oven, use a large spoon or measuring cup to scoop up the juicy sauce in the dish and baste it all over the chicken breasts, so they will be extra nice and juicy. Also let the chicken rest for 5 or so minutes before serving, so the juices inside will redistribute.
• Tips to note: If your oven tends to run extra hot, bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit the entire time, instead of 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, how long you cook your chicken breasts totally depends on how thick they are. The thicker the chicken breast the longer you have to bake them. If they’re thin, the less time. Just make sure the inside of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t bake these on the top rack in your oven if it’s close to the broilers, because the mixture on top will burn before the chicken is cooked properly. Bake it more in the middle of the oven.

Recipe modified from The Seasoned Mom

If you enjoy pesto like I do, here are a few other recipes you’ll love!

Pesto and Sundried Tomato Chicken Salad

Pesto and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato and Pesto

Hope you enjoy these luscious recipes!  🙂