Baked chicken breast topped with skinny basil pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Quick and easy, serve this with pasta for a complete meal.
This is a great way to use up your end-of-summer basil. If it's still warm out, you can also do this on the grill.
As the weather turns cooler, I've been making and freezing skinny pesto in small batches to keep on hand throughout the year. You can freeze them in ice cube trays and measure them out or use small containers like I did here. Enjoy!
Skinny Chicken Pesto Bake
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 piece • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 236 • Fat: 11.5 g • Carbs: 2.5 g • Fiber: 0.5 g • Protein: 28.5 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 491 mg (without salt)
Ingredients:
- 2 (16 oz total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 4 tsp Skinny Basil Pesto
- 1 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
- 6 tbsp (1.5 oz) shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
- 2 tsp grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Wash chicken and dry with a paper towel. Slice chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thinner cutlets. Season lightly with salt and fresh pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean-up.
Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spread 1 tsp of skinny pesto over each piece of chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
To Grill: Grill chicken over medium flame on both sides until cooked through in the center. Lower flame, top chicken with tomatoes and cheese, and close grill until cheese melts.






















I just finished my grocery list for this week with recipes from this site. I will have to save this recipe for next week. It looks fabulous. Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteThis just looks mouth watering. Thanks again for another great recipe..
ReplyDeleteACB
Yay! I already have those ingredients! I know what I'm making tonight. <3
ReplyDeleteI want to make this for LUNCH!!! only have PESTO and TOMATOES on hand...shucks. Looks like a winner for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteDiane
I have had pesto/mozzarella/tomato on chicken so many different ways, yet I never tire of it. Definitely need to freeze some pesto soon!
ReplyDeletethis looks like an amazing and easy dish to get together! and that's always my problem because by the time i get out of work i'm starving for dinner and tempted by fast food.
ReplyDeleteFreezing pesto in ice cube trays? Brillant!!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say too I am LOVING the overnight oats with pumpkin butter. I was in such a breakfast rut this summer and fell in love with the overnight oats. A pumpkin variation for fall has been great!
My friend introduced me to skinnytaste about two years ago when she brought your pumpkin butter and pumpkin cupcakes into work one day. I've been hooked since! :)
-Lauren
So she lured you in with pumpkin! Glad you like the oats!
DeleteI love your tip about freezing pesto! I never make it because I don't want to have so much leftover... can't believe I haven't thought about freezing it! I am definitely making this dish... looks wonderful. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis looks fantastic!! It's a bit chilly and very wet here in Toronto today and this might just make me feel like summer again, not to mention that tomorrow I can put it in a cabrese bread for a great sandwich!!
ReplyDeleteYum! This is one thing I'll miss about summer- fresh pesto and fresh tomatoes! And grilling! Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great site! So glad I found it.
ReplyDeletethat looks delish!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI need more calories for lunch so I may make this into a sandwich! Very excited, thank you!
ReplyDeleteYum, this looks really good. Do you ever have a problem with the chicken not cooking all of the way through because of the tomatoes on top?
ReplyDeleteThe directions say you cook the chicken through before adding the tomatoes.
DeleteNo because you cook the chicken first. The tomatoes and cheese only cook until the cheese melts.
DeleteIt looks absolutely yummy! I also stock pesto in my freezer, it can be so useful!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely going to have to try this! Looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wesome recipe - had it for supper tonight and it was a HIT!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad!!
DeleteDoes the nutrition value in the recipe include the pesto sauce or is that separate on the nutritional value? I am on a very strict low carb diet and want to make sure I don't need to add carbs for the pesto. Can't wait to try this...will be going on the menu for next week! I don't like tomatoes though so do you think it would be just as good with zuchinni?
ReplyDeleteIt includes it. If I list it in the ingredients, I calculate it. You can leave tomatoes out or use a little tomato sauce.
DeleteWe had this for dinner last night and my whole family loved it. We used chicken tenderloins and pounded them out to flatten them. Used our tomatoes and pesto from the garden and served with our homegrown green beans too! Yummy!
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
DeleteThis morning I pulled some chicken breasts out of the freezer hoping I could come up with a different way to cook them by dinner time. Then I see the email for this recipe in my inbox...perfect timing! Thanks :)
ReplyDelete: )
DeleteLike fully cooked tomatoes, but not fresh. Could you just put canned tomatoes on top and cook a bit more before you add the cheese and then cook until the cheese melts or would you be overcooking the chicken?
ReplyDeleteSure, warm it up first so it only takes a few minutes for the cheese to melt.
DeleteAdding this to the must-make list!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't wait to try this one out!! I had a ton of fresh market tomatoes and this was the perfect meal for them. Everyone was VERY happy at my dinner table last night, thanks!!
ReplyDelete-Shannon
Quick question: 2 Chicken breasts sliced into 4 pieces is 8 pieces, but the serving size is 4 servings of 1 piece. Is it actually 4 servings of 2 pieces each? I'm ever hopeful :)
ReplyDelete(2) 8 oz pieces of chicken breast, sliced in half to make (4) cutlets, 4 oz each.
ReplyDeleteI HEART GINA! You make eating easy!
ReplyDeletethis may sound goofy - but what kind of knife do you find works best to slice breasts into cutlets?
ReplyDeleteThis looks so amazing! I may have to make this for my Friday Night Date night with the hubs :)
ReplyDeleteWow Gina.
ReplyDeleteThis chicken breast was very soft and smooth appearance, and is easy to make. Much healthier. Kisses from the other gina
Wow, love the idea about freezing pesto! This looks great!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is absolutely amazing! Literally just finished eating, bloody brilliant. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWarm or freezing weather, I'd brave the grill if it meant getting to enjoy these at the end of it!
ReplyDeleteI just made this receipe last night! It was fantastic. Didn't even feel like I was eating "diet" food. :-)
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
DeleteI made this last night! My husband loved it and it was easy and delicious! I served with spaghetti tossed in a little of the leftover pesto and a slice of french bread! 5 stars, Gina!!!
ReplyDeletedid it last night. love it :)
ReplyDeleteHOLY COW! I am eating this right now! It is amazing! I had already bought some thinly sliced chicken breasts and just used that. So good!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gina!
I just made this....it was DELICIOUS!!! posted a picture on my FB for all my friends to see. Will make again!!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight with the cauliflower puree! One of my favorite recipes on your site!!! You rock!!!
ReplyDeleteMade this for dinner last nigh, the family loved it. I will be making again. Thank you..
ReplyDeletethis is also soooooo good as leftovers. i made an open face sandwich with chicken breast on a baquette and drizzled balsamic on the top. heat it up and it makes a great lunch!!! thank you gina!!! you make weeknight meals and lunches easy and yummy
ReplyDeleteI bet it would! Great idea!
DeleteOk, so I'm a bonehead! I glanced at the recipe and after I built all the goodies on top and after it's been in the oven for 10 mins, did I realize NOT to add the tomato and cheese yet!! OH well, I'm sure it will still be good!
ReplyDeleteThis. Was. Amazing. I changed nothing. Thank you Gina!
ReplyDeleteWHAT SIDES WOULD YOU SERVE THIS WITH ??
ReplyDeleteread the very first line just below the first photo of this recipe. You could also serve it with a side salad, or green beans.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a tasty recipe. It's so lean and clean (no bread or any other big carbs). Thanks for posting it... I know this is yummy!
ReplyDeleteJust made this last night - LOVED IT. The BF had seconds... your website bodes well for our relationship ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great skinny recipes!
Made this for dinner tonight and we loved it!! The kids even loved it :)
ReplyDeleteSo, so, so good! Whole family (ages 44 down to 5) LOVED it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for a wonderful recipe. I made the pesto over the weekend and we had this for dinner tonight. My boys are super picky so I just salt and peppered their chicken, they said it was very good (they don't say that often). So we all had a wonderful dinner without any extra effort on my part. :-)
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight for my husband! We both LOVED IT! Paired it with a side of whole wheat pasta with a little pesto in with it... perfect!
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight for my mom & stepdad.
ReplyDeleteThey both loved it and I thought it was great.
Super easy, super fast to make. I paired it with a bit of brown rice & peas.
I don't even LIKE tomatoes - and I ate this.
I love your website & your recipes! Thank you!
Made it tonight and it was terrific. Hubby liked. Served with side green salad with fresh pear, since it's in season. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI made this last night and my hubby and I both LOVED it!!! So delicious. Only thing I added was a couple slices of deli ham, warmed in the microwave, under the tomatoes. I served it with green salad and peas. Kevin told me to put it on the "keepers list"! :) THANK YOU Gina!!!!
ReplyDeleteEven with it cut, 15 minutes was not enough to cook the chicken. Me and my boyfriend both got sick, doc said food poisoning. Please rewrite a correct time, maybe 30-35 minutes.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI use a meat thermometer and tested mine after 15 min and they were cooked to 170. I pounded my chicken breasts very thin, and the time was totally fine for me.
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and it was so delicious!
ReplyDeleteMade this for the rents tonight and they loved it! We cooked the chicken for about 30 minutes as they were a little thicker, yet they stayed moist. Definitely a crowd pleaser that is easy and quick to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteI just made this and finished eating it! It was so delish!! I took a picture of my food and in the background my dog was staring at it like "but where's mine?!" I wish I could post it here! Haha! Love your blog! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI made this a couple nights ago for dinner and both myself and my boyfriend LOVED it! Of course, I used pesto from a jar since I didn't have the time to make my own, but it was still delicious.
ReplyDeleteI made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. The only thing I did different was add 1 Tbsp spaghetti sauce to each piece under the tomatoes/cheese. Served with a side salad it made for a delicious dinner. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes!
ReplyDeleteDo you think it would taste fine to put red sauce on the pasta or would it be better to use the pesto? Also, would this work with eggplant? I know that there is eggplant parm but i am not sure if it would work with this receipe. I have a friend that is a vegeterian.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriends & I made this last night along with some oven roasted veggies (baby carrots, sweet potato, mini red & gold potatoes, red onion, garlic, grape tomatoes & zucchini). It was delicious!!!
ReplyDeleteI have made this twice now and it is nothing short of amazing - and it's so easy! My son loves it!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you thank you for sharing this recipes.
made this last night....amazing!
ReplyDeleteI on't know what I would do with out you. Seriously!
Btw, do you have a button? I am always shouting you out on my blog. I'd be glad to add you!
gonna try this tonight with spinach on top! thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThis is SO GOOD! I used homemade arugula pesto. Delish!
ReplyDeleteThis has become a favorite Dinner party dish. It is easy and looks like you've spent all day in the kitchen.
ReplyDelete