Chicken Pesto Rice Bake (Print View)

Tender chicken and creamy pesto rice combined with melty cheese in an easy casserole.

# Components:

→ Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces (about 17.6 oz)

→ Rice & Dairy

02 - 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked (10.1 oz)
03 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (16 fl oz)
04 - 1 cup whole milk (8 fl oz)
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4.2 oz)
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2.1 oz)

→ Sauces & Flavor

07 - ½ cup basil pesto (4.2 oz), 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 (5.3 oz)
13 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional) (5.3 oz)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
02 - In the greased baking dish, mix the uncooked rice, chicken broth, whole 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 carefully to distribute the ingredients evenly throughout.
04 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top of the mixture.
05 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender, the chicken is fully cooked, and the cheese has turned golden and bubbly.
07 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Optionally garnish with extra pesto or fresh basil for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a set-it-and-forget-it dinner that tastes like you've been fussing over it for hours.
  • The pesto seeps into every grain of rice, turning something ordinary into something restaurant-worthy without any real effort.
  • One baking dish means one thing to wash, which honestly matters on nights when you're already exhausted.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end; it transforms the dish from slightly soupy to perfectly balanced in just ten minutes.
  • If your rice still seems slightly firm after the 45 minutes total, the oven temperature matters—ovens vary wildly, so trust your eyes and taste more than the timer.
  • The pesto flavor gets muted when cold, so serve this warm and fresh for the full basil experience.
03 -
  • Don't stir the dish once you've covered it and put it in the oven—the undisturbed cooking is what gives you creamy rice instead of mushy rice.
  • If you're using rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken (which absolutely works), shred it into bite-sized pieces and reduce the total cooking time by about 10 minutes since the protein is already cooked.
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