Baked Pesto Chicken Crispy Cheesy

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite dinners, not only for its deliciousness but also for its ease! Follow me…

Panko Breadcrumbs

Panko breadcrumbs are a staple in my kitchen. They’re big and airy, meaning they turn things super crispy.

Where can I find Panko Breadcrumbs?

You’ll find Panko breadcrumbs in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Toasting the Breadcrumbs

To get the chicken extra crispy, we’re going to toast the breadcrumbs before we coat the chicken in them. Think of this step as giving the breadcrumbs a head start. That way they’ll crisp up at the perfect rate that the chicken cooks. To toast the breadcrumbs I simply spread them out on a baking tray, spray them with oil and bake until lightly golden. Process shots: add breadcrumbs to tray (photo 1), spray then bake (photo 2).

Crispy Pesto Chicken

Sure, you could coat regular chicken in pesto and bake it, but crispy chicken is just so much better! For this recipe, we’re going to be using boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Slicing the Chicken

I highly recommend slicing each chicken breast right through the centre to double the quantity. This will ensure the chicken cooks through much more evenly.

Coating the Chicken

When it comes to coating the chicken in the breadcrumbs, you’ll want to first coat the chicken in flour and egg, just to build up a crust and give the breadcrumbs something to cling to. I also like to season both the flour and breadcrumbs with a simple mix of garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Process shots: add chicken to chopping board (photo 1), slice (photo 2), coat in flour (photo 3), coat in egg (photo 4), coat in breadcrumbs (photo 5).

Baked Pesto Chicken

Now strictly speaking, you could fry the chicken, and it would come out ever-so-slightly more crisp, but since we’ve already got a baking tray out and the oven on, we’re going to bake it.

Basil Pesto

Once you’ve baked the chicken we’re going to slather it in pesto. You can use store-bought or Homemade Pesto. If you’re using store-bought try and find one that’s not too oily. Same if you’re doing it homemade, don’t go crazy with the oil. Just because you’ve got the cheese, which will already release oil as it melts.

Cheesy Pesto Chicken

Please for heaven’s sake don’t make this without the cheese 😛. You’ll want a combination of mozzarella (for a gorgeous gooey cheesy pull) and parmesan (for a golden crisp finish and a punch of flavour). Process shots: add chicken to baking tray and spray with oil (photo 1), bake, flip, then bake again (photo 2), coat in pesto (photo 3), top with cheese then place under the grill (photo 4).

Serving Pesto Chicken

Here I’ve served with a simple side salad consisting of rocket/arugula, sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts, which is usually what I’ve got lurking about in the cupboards/fridge! I also added some Sweet Potato Fries (check out my Sides for more inspo). This chicken also works so well in a toasted sandwich! For another crispy baked chicken recipe check out my Baked Chicken Parmesan and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu! For another cheesy pesto chicken recipe check out my Chicken Pesto Grilled Cheese! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this baked pesto chicken shall we?!