Chicken Pesto Rice Bake (Printable View)

Savory chicken combined with basil pesto, rice, and cheese for an easy, hearty baked meal.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces

→ Rice & Dairy

02 - 1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
03 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauces & Flavor

07 - ½ cup basil pesto
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - ½ teaspoon salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In the baking dish, mix uncooked rice, chicken broth, milk, basil pesto, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
03 - Incorporate diced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach if using; stir to distribute evenly.
04 - Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the mixture.
05 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until rice is tender, chicken is fully cooked, and cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving; optionally garnish with additional pesto or fresh basil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a legitimate dump-and-bake situation where you mix everything in one place and let the oven do the work.
  • The pesto flavors the rice from the inside out, so every bite tastes intentional and restaurant-quality.
  • Creamy, cheesy, packed with protein—it feels indulgent even though you threw it together in ten minutes.
02 -
  • If your rice is still crunchy after the first bake, the oven temperature matters—use an oven thermometer to check, because ovens lie.
  • Stir everything together before adding the chicken, not after, or you'll have raw pesto paste clinging to the bottom where the liquid can't reach it.
03 -
  • Mix your wet ingredients before adding the rice so the pesto dissolves evenly instead of settling in streaks.
  • Don't skip the rest time—it lets the rice absorb any remaining liquid and makes serving so much cleaner.
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