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Pesto Chicken Rice Casserole is the ultimate one-pan weeknight dinner with raw ingredients added to a baking dish and then cooked perfectly all in one pan! There's minimal prep or cleanup required and this easy pesto chicken bake is one my kids ask for on repeat.
The EASIEST One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Rice Bake.
If there's one recipe that can make your life easier, it's our Pesto Chicken Rice Casserole. It takes less than 10 minutes to layer everything in just one pan, and then it bakes and dinner is ready to go! Even my pickiest eaters devour this one, and the leftovers taste great too if you want to use it for meal prep.
Pro Tips: If you don't have time to make our homemade pesto the Costco Kirkland Brand Pesto is a great high-quality option. You could also add more veggies if you'd like, like fresh green beans or asapargus (chopped into 2” pieces), added at the same time as the tomatoes.
Try more of my one pot meals, like Boursin Pasta, Lettuce Wraps, Instant Pot Chicken and Rice, Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi, and Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas!
How to make Pesto Chicken Casserole:
Prep Chicken: Butterfly chicken breasts horizontally with a sharp knife to get 3-4 thinner chicken breast halves. Season chicken on both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried basil. (If the chicken breasts are not overly thick, you can leave them whole).
Make Sauce: Whisk pesto, greek yogurt, and chicken broth until smooth.
Layer: Spread uncooked rice evenly in the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Lay seasoned chicken on top. Pour sauce over the chicken and rice, making sure all of the rice is submerged. Scatter halved cherry tomatoes on top then sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over everything.
Bake: Cover pan tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and rice is tender. Remove from heat and rest for 10-15 minutes undisturbed. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and fresh basil before serving, if desired.
One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked Basmati rice
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, , skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 to 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 heaping cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/4 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional: fresh basil or lemon juice, , for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally, to get 3 or 4 thinner chicken breast halves. (If the chicken breasts are not overly thick, you can leave them whole).1 ½ lb boneless
- Spread uncooked rice evenly in the bottom of greased casserole dish.1 ¼ cups uncooked Basmati rice
- Season chicken on both sides generously with salt and pepper, then with garlic powder, onion powder, and dried basil. Arrange chicken over rice.1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried basil, Salt and pepper
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together pesto, Greek yogurt and chicken broth until smooth.⅓ cup pesto, ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 to 2 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
- Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and rice, making sure the rice is submerged.
- Scatter halved cherry tomatoes on top. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over everything.1 heaping cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 ¼ cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F) and rice is tender.
- Rest: Remove from heat and rest for 10-15 minutes, undisturbed, before serving.
- Serve: Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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