Chicken Pesto Rice Bake (Printable)

A comforting bake combining tender chicken, pesto rice, and melty cheeses for easy weeknight meals.

# Components:

→ Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces (approximately 1.1 lbs)

→ Rice & Dairy

02 - 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
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 (store-bought or homemade)
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)

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Combine uncooked rice, chicken broth, milk, basil pesto, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper in the baking dish. Stir until thoroughly blended.
03 - Incorporate diced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped baby spinach if using. Mix gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan on top of the mixture.
05 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until rice is tender, chicken is fully cooked, and cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Optionally garnish with extra pesto or fresh basil before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of meal where you prep for ten minutes and then genuinely walk away while the oven does the heavy lifting.
  • The pesto keeps everything from tasting boring, and the combination of mozzarella and Parmesan on top gets that golden, bubbly finish that makes people think you tried harder than you did.
  • It's naturally gluten-free, flexible with vegetables, and tastes just as good the next day cold straight from the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end because the rice needs those few minutes to set, or you'll be serving something that tastes perfect but looks like a beautiful mess.
  • If your pesto is particularly oily or garlicky, you might want to taste the broth mixture before it goes in the oven and adjust the salt slightly, because pesto already brings salt with it and you don't want to overdo it.
  • The chicken pieces really do need to be roughly 1-inch sized so they cook evenly in the time it takes for the rice to become tender—bigger chunks might stay slightly underdone while the rice is perfect.
03 -
  • Buy good pesto—whether homemade or store-bought, it's the flavor anchor of this entire dish, so don't reach for whatever's on sale unless you've tasted it first.
  • If your baking dish is shallower than standard, check the rice around the 30-minute mark because it might finish cooking faster than expected.
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