Chicken Pesto Rice Bake

There's something magical about a casserole that comes together in your hands, all the ingredients tumbling into one dish like you're orchestrating a small miracle. I discovered this pesto chicken rice bake on a Thursday evening when I was staring at chicken breasts, a jar of pesto, and absolutely zero energy for anything complicated. What started as a desperate attempt to feed people turned into the kind of dinner that makes everyone ask for seconds without prompting, and suddenly you're that person who always has this casserole up their sleeve.

I made this for a small dinner party last fall, and I remember my friend Sarah walking in, smelling the pesto and cheese roasting together, and immediately asking if I'd learned to cook fancy suddenly. The look on her face when I told her it was a dump-and-bake casserole made the whole thing worth it—she'd expected something that took hours.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts: Dicing them into one-inch pieces matters because they cook evenly and disappear throughout the rice instead of sitting as big chunks.
• Long-grain white rice: Uncooked rice is the secret here—it absorbs all the liquid and pesto flavor as everything bakes together, saving you a step.
• Chicken broth and milk: This combination creates a creamy sauce without needing cream, keeping things lighter while still feeling indulgent.
• Basil pesto: Store-bought is completely fine and actually my preference because I'm being honest about how I cook on busy nights.
• Mozzarella and Parmesan: The mozzarella gets melty and gooey while Parmesan adds a sharper, nuttier note that keeps it interesting.
• Cherry tomatoes: They burst slightly in the heat and release their sweetness throughout the dish, plus they add color you can actually see.
• Baby spinach: Optional but I always add it because it wilts down to nothing and makes me feel virtuous without changing the flavor much.

Instructions

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Prep and preheat:

Get your oven heating to 375°F and grease that 9x13 dish—this takes two minutes and sets you up for success.

Build the base:

Pour the uncooked rice right into the dish, then add chicken broth, milk, pesto, garlic, and herbs. Stir this until it looks like a creamy sauce with rice suspended in it, making sure no rice is sitting dry at the bottom.

Add protein and vegetables:

Scatter your diced chicken across the top, then add tomatoes and spinach if using, stirring everything to distribute evenly so every spoonful has a mix.

Top with cheese:

Sprinkle both cheeses evenly over the surface—don't skimp here because that golden, bubbly top is part of the appeal.

First bake covered:

Cover the dish tightly with foil so steam stays in and helps the rice cook through. Bake for 35 minutes and resist the urge to peek too often.

Finish uncovered:

Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese is golden and slightly bubbly at the edges.

Rest and serve:

Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes so everything sets slightly and the flavors settle. A small handful of fresh basil or extra pesto on top makes it feel intentional.

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The best part of making this dish happened when my neighbor showed up early one evening, caught a whiff from my kitchen, and suddenly we were eating together at my counter, talking about the easiest weeknight meals we'd ever made. This casserole stopped being just dinner and became the thing we'd text each other about months later.

Why This Recipe Works

The genius of a one-dish dinner is that you're not managing multiple pans or timing different components—everything cooks together, trading flavors as it goes. The pesto doesn't stay isolated in one layer; it mingles with the rice and chicken, turning something that could be boring into something actually interesting. And because you're using uncooked rice, the liquid has to do the work, which means it gets absorbed and becomes part of the dish rather than something you drain away.

Making It Your Own

This recipe is flexible in the way that the best weeknight dinners are—you can swap vegetables based on what's in your fridge, use rotisserie chicken if you're in a hurry, or add more cheese if that's how you feel about life. I've made it with brown rice on nights when I wanted something slightly earthier, and I've thrown in zucchini and bell peppers when I wanted more vegetables. The bones of it stay solid, and the pesto keeps everything tasting good no matter what you add.

Timing and Flexibility

The beauty of this casserole is that you can have it in the oven in the time it takes most people to decide what to cook. If you're using rotisserie chicken instead of fresh, you can shave 10 minutes off the baking time because the chicken's already cooked. For brown rice lovers, just add half a cup more liquid and give it another 10 to 15 minutes—your timing might shift slightly, but the method stays the same.

• Rotisserie chicken is genuinely a legitimate shortcut, not a compromise.
• You can assemble the whole thing the morning of and bake it that evening if your schedule demands it.
• Leftover casserole is somehow better the next day, the flavors having had time to get friendly with each other.

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This casserole has become the kind of meal I make when I want to feed people without it feeling like work, which is honestly the highest compliment a recipe can get. It's the dinner you return to when you need something reliable and actual.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Yes, brown rice can be substituted by increasing the liquid by ½ cup and extending the bake time by 10–15 minutes for proper tenderness.

→ Is it possible to make this dish vegan?

To make a vegan version, substitute chicken with plant-based protein alternatives and replace dairy with vegan cheese and plant milk, while ensuring the pesto is dairy-free.

→ How can I add more vegetables to this dish?

Adding diced zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms before baking will boost the vegetable content and enhance flavors while maintaining texture.

→ What is the best way to store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warmed through.

→ Can I prepare this meal ahead of time?

You can assemble the ingredients in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Adjust baking time slightly if baking from cold.