Lemon Basil Pesto Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken baked with bright lemon-basil pesto for a fresh, zesty Italian-inspired dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5-6 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Lemon Basil Pesto

05 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
06 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - ⅓ cup pine nuts or walnuts
08 - 2 large garlic cloves
09 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
10 - ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

13 - Lemon slices
14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Additional grated Parmesan

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold chicken in a single layer.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in prepared baking dish.
03 - In a food processor, combine basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped.
04 - With processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth, vibrant pesto forms. Scrape down sides as needed.
05 - Spread generous layer of lemon basil pesto over each chicken breast, covering tops fully. Reserve remaining pesto for serving.
06 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
07 - Let rest 3 minutes. Serve with extra pesto, lemon slices, and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon cuts through the rich pesto so the chicken tastes bright instead of heavy
  • It comes together in under 15 minutes but looks like something from a nice restaurant
  • Leftover pesto transforms into instant sandwich spreads or pasta sauces
02 -
  • Overprocessing the pesto can make it bitter, so pulse just until everything comes together
  • Letting the chicken rest before cutting locks in all those juices
  • The pesto will darken slightly as it bakes, but the flavor stays fresh
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before prep
  • A microplane makes the finest lemon zest, which incorporates seamlessly into the pesto

Go Back