Baked Pesto Chicken Thighs
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5
10 reviews
Excellent
Baked Pesto Chicken Thighs
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You only need four ingredients and five minutes of prep for this easy dump-and-bake pesto chicken recipe! Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner that's flavorful and healthy!
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breast boneless, skinless, or thighs
- 1 cup pesto sauce store-bought or homemade
- 1 packet Italian dressing just the dry seasoning -- NOT prepared, includes recipe mix
- ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
OVEN BAKED METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place chicken in prepared dish. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, cover with pesto and pour chicken broth over top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes for thighs (or about 1 hour for breasts), or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
SLOW COOKER METHOD:
- Spray insert of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, cover with pesto and pour chicken broth over top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours. Slice the chicken or use two forks to shred the meat.
Notes
- Bake the pesto chicken thighs covered for most of the cooking time to ensure tender, juicy chicken. If you want to add cheese to the top of the chicken, remove it from the oven with about 10 minutes remaining. Top with cheese (fresh sliced mozzarella cheese would be perfect), and put it back in the oven, uncovered, until the cheese is melted.
- Make chicken pesto pasta by serving the baked chicken thighs with pasta, or add pasta to the baking dish for a simple dump-and-bake chicken pesto pasta recipe.
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you're cooking the chicken in the Crock Pot, I suggest using chicken thighs -- they stay much juicier than the breast meat over the longer cooking time.
- Prep ahead! You can make this a freezer meal by combining all the raw ingredients in a baking dish or a large Ziploc bag. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake or dump into the slow cooker and cook according to recipe instructions.
- Have leftovers? You can freeze this cooked pesto chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Use the cooked, shredded meat on top of pizza, tucked inside panini sandwiches, or on top of a salad.
- Is pesto chicken healthy? Yes! Pesto is made with heart-healthy olive oil, fresh herbs, and nuts. While the recipe's nutrition facts include 435 calories per serving, that includes all of the sauce in the dish (which you will likely not consume). If you don't enjoy all of the pesto sauce from the pan, the nutrition facts will vary greatly.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1g
Calories
435.1kcal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
7.3g
(2%)
Protein
30.2g
(60%)
Fat
30.9g
(48%)
Saturated Fat
3.3g
(17%)
Cholesterol
106mg
(35%)
Sodium
1300.2mg
(54%)
Potassium
240mg
(5%)
Fiber
2.7g
(11%)
Sugar
1.3g
(3%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 4351 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 435.1kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 7.3g | 2% |
| Protein | 30.2g | 60% |
| Fat | 30.9g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.3g | 17% |
| Cholesterol | 106mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 1300.2mg | 54% |
| Potassium | 240mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2.7g | 11% |
| Sugar | 1.3g | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
10 reviews
Excellent
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