Looking for an easy
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date night dinner to impress? Look no further than this cheesy pesto chicken. Ready in under an hour, this chicken breast recipe gets a flavorful upgrade with homemade pesto and melty cheese. This dish is extremely versatile with what’s in season and your desired effort level, making it a staple weeknight dinner (or fancy occasion specialty) you can come back to again and again.
Ingredients
- 2 c.tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 c.extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c.toasted pine nuts
- 2cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp.(or more) kosher salt, divided
- 1 oz.Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 c.)
- 1 tsp.fresh lemon juice
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lb.boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3-4)
- 1/2 c.shredded mozzarella
Directions
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- Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°. In a food processor, process basil, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Transfer basil mixture to a medium bowl and stir in Parmesan and lemon juice; season with more salt, if needed.
- Step 2Grease an 11″-by-8″ baking dish with cooking spray. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer in prepared dish. Spread pesto all over chicken, spooning a bit more over top.
- Step 3Bake chicken 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella. Continue to bake until chicken is cooked through, an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165ºF, and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. (Optional: If your baking dish is broiler-safe, broil until cheese is browned, 1 to 2 minutes.)
- Step 1
