Chicken Pesto Rice Bake (Printable)

Savory chicken and basil pesto combined with rice and cheeses for a comforting baked dish.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

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

→ Rice & Dairy

02 - 1.5 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked (approximately 10 oz)
03 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (approx. 4.2 oz)
06 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese (approx. 2.1 oz)

→ Sauces & Flavor

07 - 0.5 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (approx. 5.3 oz)
13 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional, approx. 5.3 oz)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - In the baking dish, mix uncooked rice, chicken broth, milk, pesto, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until evenly blended.
03 - Incorporate diced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach if using. Stir gently to distribute evenly.
04 - Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese over the mixture.
05 - Seal the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until rice is tender, chicken is cooked through, and cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra pesto or fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a dump-and-bake situation, which means you can prep it in under ten minutes and forget about it.
  • Everything cooks together, so the rice absorbs all that pesto flavor while the chicken stays tender and the cheese gets gloriously bubbly.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you spent your whole evening at the stove.
02 -
  • The uncooked rice needs that exact ratio of liquid or you'll end up with either crunchy rice or mush—measure carefully and don't be tempted to add extra broth.
  • If your chicken pieces are significantly larger or smaller than an inch, they won't cook evenly with the rice, so take a moment to cut them consistently.
  • Rotisserie chicken will save you ten minutes of baking time and still taste incredible if you're in a real crunch, just shred it and toss it in instead of the raw pieces.
03 -
  • Don't skip letting it rest after baking—those five to ten minutes let the rice firm up just slightly and make plating and serving infinitely neater.
  • Fresh basil scattered over top just before serving brings back that bright, fresh pesto flavor that baking mellows out, which transforms it from good to genuinely memorable.
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