Chicken Pesto Rice Bake

There's something magical about opening the oven to find a casserole that's somehow managed to cook itself into something better than the sum of its parts. I discovered this chicken pesto rice bake on a Wednesday night when I had exactly forty-five minutes to feed six people, and somehow it became the dish everyone asks for now. The creamy pesto, melted cheese, and tender chicken all marry together with the rice in a way that feels intentional, even though it's honestly just one big dump-and-bake moment.

I made this for my neighbor's family during the chaos of moving season, and watching three kids actually finish their plates without complaint was worth more than any compliment. She texted me the recipe request before they'd even left the driveway, and I knew I'd stumbled onto something special.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Two large breasts diced into 1-inch pieces gives you tender morsels that cook gently in the oven's steam without drying out, even if you're not a precision timer person.
• Long-grain white rice: Use 1½ cups uncooked and measure carefully, because the rice cooks right in the liquid without a separate pot, which is the entire point of this beautiful shortcut.
• Low-sodium chicken broth: Two cups keeps the rice from getting gluey while the milk adds creaminess, and using low-sodium gives you control over the salt level rather than getting a surprise.
• Whole milk: One cup transforms this from a dry rice situation into something luxuriously creamy without needing cream or heavy lifting.
• Shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan: Combined, they're the topping that gets golden and bubbly—mozzarella stretches beautifully while Parmesan adds a sharp little punch.
• Basil pesto: Half a cup is enough to flavor everything without overpowering, and honestly, store-bought works perfectly fine here so you don't need to stand in your kitchen with a mortar and pestle.
• Garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper: These are the quiet background singers that make sure nothing tastes flat or one-dimensional.
• Cherry tomatoes and baby spinach: The tomatoes add little pops of brightness and the spinach wilts right into everything, both optional but both worth including if you want extra vegetables doing actual work.

Instructions

Set up your baking dish and oven:

Preheat to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish because burned-on rice on the bottom is nobody's idea of a good time. You want this dish ready to go the moment you're done mixing.

Combine the rice and liquid base:

Pour the uncooked rice, chicken broth, milk, pesto, minced garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper directly into the baking dish and stir until the pesto is distributed and the rice isn't sitting in dry pockets. This is where the flavor foundation gets built.

Add the chicken and vegetables:

Scatter your diced chicken pieces over the rice mixture along with the halved cherry tomatoes and chopped spinach if you're using it, then give everything a gentle stir to make sure nothing is hiding at the bottom. The chicken will cook gently in the steam and liquid.

Top with cheese:

Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top in a way that looks generous because it's about to melt down and bond everything together.

First bake covered:

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes—the foil traps steam and keeps the rice from drying out while everything cooks through. You'll see it start to bubble around the edges.

Finish with golden cheese:

Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender, the chicken is cooked through completely, and the cheese has turned that golden, slightly crispy-on-the-edges color that means it's perfect. If your oven runs hot, check it around the 10-minute mark.

Rest and serve:

Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven—this lets everything set slightly so you can serve neat portions instead of soupy spoonfuls. Top with extra pesto or fresh basil if you're feeling fancy.

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What I love most about this dish is how it sits on the table looking like you actually know your way around a kitchen, when really it's just ingredients and trust in the oven. My sister called it sneaky good, which I think is the highest compliment a weeknight dinner can get.

Why This Recipe Works

The genius of cooking rice in broth and milk instead of water is that you're building flavor into every grain rather than seasoning it afterward. Everything—the chicken, the rice, the pesto—cooks together in one dish, which means the flavors actually get to know each other instead of staying separate and polite. The cheese on top isn't just decoration; it's protection and richness that keeps the top layer from drying out while the bottom stays creamy.

Ways to Make It Your Own

This recipe is flexible in the way that good comfort food should be, and I've made it a dozen different ways depending on what was in my fridge or what someone needed to avoid. If you're in a hurry, rotisserie chicken works beautifully—just shred about two cups of it and reduce the baking time by ten minutes since it's already cooked. For vegetables, I've thrown in diced zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, or extra spinach without ever regretting it, and they all soften nicely in that steamy environment.

How to Serve and Store

This casserole is perfect straight from the oven with nothing more than a simple green salad beside it and maybe a glass of cold Pinot Grigio if you're celebrating the fact that dinner is done. Leftovers keep for about three days in the fridge and honestly taste good cold or reheated gently in a low oven, though I've also eaten it straight from the container at midnight and that was fine too.

• If you need to make it a day ahead, assemble everything in the baking dish up to the cheese topping, cover it, and refrigerate—just add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time if it's cold when it goes in the oven.
• Brown rice is possible here if that's what you prefer, just add an extra half cup of liquid and extend the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes since it takes longer to tender.
• This recipe makes six generous servings, but it freezes reasonably well if you wrap it tightly after cooling, though the texture of the rice changes slightly after freezing.

Save

This is the kind of recipe that quietly becomes part of your regular rotation because it works, tastes good, and doesn't ask much of you. When food does that—when it takes care of the people eating it without needing you to stress—that's when you know you've found something worth keeping.

Recipe Guide

→ Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Yes, substituting brown rice is possible, but increase the liquid by half a cup and extend the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes for proper cooking.

→ Is it possible to prepare this dish ahead of time?

Absolutely, you can assemble it the night before and bake it fresh when ready, or use leftover cooked chicken to reduce baking time.

→ What are recommended vegetable additions?

Diced zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms work well for added texture and flavor alongside spinach and cherry tomatoes.

→ How to ensure the chicken stays tender and juicy?

Dicing the chicken evenly and baking covered helps retain moisture, while the broth and milk create a gentle cooking environment.

→ Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes, by using certified gluten-free chicken broth and pesto, the dish remains suitable for gluten-free diets.