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Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,310
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

In my never ending quest for easy, fast , 5 ingredients or less, dinner entrees, I found this one on Pinterest (LOVE {#emotions_dlg.tt1}) cooked it up and what a delicious piece of chickeny heaven!!!

Kudos to The Planning Mama----

3-4 skinless chic breast

4-6 tablespoons of prepared pesto or home made

1-2 Roma tomatoes

1 cup mozzarella cheese

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Lay chicken in a baking dish,

Spread a good amount of the pesto on top.

Place cut roma toms (I cut them into fairly thick slices) on top of the pesto.

Sprinkle with the mozz cheese.

Bake at 400* for 30-40 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Serve over rice or pasta or even on a toasted crusty bun for a sammie.

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I will tweak this a little more for next time---and there will be a next time{#emotions_dlg.thumbup}. If anyone is interested in why/what I will tweak--let me know.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 623
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

wagirl - Thanks for posting this yummy-sounding recipe! I'm saving it and hoping to make it soon! Smiley Happy

Oh - and I'm interested in your tweaks! Thanks!

Super Contributor
Posts: 401
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

Will try, thanks

Super Contributor
Posts: 268
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

Sounds delicious. Just need to know if chicken is bone in or boneless. From the cooking time I would guess it is bone in although you could use boneless and bake for 20 to 25 min.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,861
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

Wagirl, I have made this many, many times and it's one of our very favorites. I prepare it a little differently, though. I slather the breasts with pesto and brown them in a bit of olive oil. then I add the sliced tomato, mozz and a basil leaf, cover and cook until done, depending on the thickness of the chicken. It works best with thin breasts, but I've used both. I've made it for guests many times and no one knows how easy it is to make. Love it!

~ house cat ~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,310
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

housecat---it sounds delicious!!!

OK for my tweaks----

First---I used boneless breasts.

Then I cut them at an angle thru the thickest part so they weren't so thick---I find it takes longer to cook if you leave them whole. Also I will flatten them a bit next time so they will be level; that way the other ingredients won't slide off. Also make sure to pat them very dry--another way so the ingred stay put. I checked them at 25 minutes and they were done. Now I would normally make my own pesto but can't get enough basil without going into hock yet. I don't like store bought pesto--too salty and pricey, altho I did find a wonderful brand at my local Haggen, but paid $5 for 8 oz. When I make pesto I use 1/2 fresh spinach and 1/2 basil. Makes alot more and kind of cuts the intense flavor of all basil but still tastes like reg pesto. OK now I was thinking that you could make all sorts of "pesto" with different greens to change up the flavor too. I make lots of different pestos using many different things. Also you could use slices of mozz cheese instead of the shredded, which would be easier for it to stay on top of the breast. Best of all there was a delicious pesto flavored olive oil (from the pesto) that collected in the baking dish during the cooking that was so good on crusty bread. Now there wasn't any chicken fat in it as I trim every piece of fat off.

I think that covers my tweaks---will try this again very soon.

house_cat--your recipe sounds amazing--I maybe would saute the breasts first if I were making sandwiches out of this recipe, but found this recipe to be prefect.

OK---I'm all tweaked out{#emotions_dlg.biggrin}

Super Contributor
Posts: 436
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

This sounds so good ... I will give it a try ...

~~ Good enough is good enough ~~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,917
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

Sounds delightful and eSy to assemble...love your pesto idea!
Frequent Contributor
Posts: 76
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

Sounds delicious..Looks super easy which I really like. Shopping girl
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,181
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: easy italian chicken bake---so good!!!

That sounds delicious, I will certainly try it. Thanks girl.