Lemon Basil Pesto Chicken (Printable)

Tender baked chicken topped with fresh lemon-basil pesto, ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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 (optional)

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a single layer.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry. Rub them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in the 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 the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a smooth, vibrant pesto forms. Scrape down the sides as needed.
05 - Spread a generous layer of the lemon basil pesto over each chicken breast, covering the top fully. Reserve any leftover pesto for serving.
06 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clear.
07 - Let rest for 3 minutes. Serve with extra pesto, lemon slices, and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon pesto transforms ordinary chicken into something restaurant worthy with almost zero extra effort
  • You can make the pesto ahead and keep it in your fridge for instant flavor bombs all week
  • Everything bakes in one dish so cleanup is just a quick wipe and done
02 -
  • Overcrowding the baking dish creates steam which prevents that gorgeous light browning on top
  • Letting the chicken rest is not optional it keeps all those juices inside where they belong
  • The pesto can turn brown if made too far ahead so make it the day you plan to use it
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 3 minutes before adding to the pesto for unreal depth of flavor
  • Room temperature chicken breast cooks more evenly so take it out 20 minutes before you start

Go Back