Chicken Pesto Rice Bake (Printable)

A comforting bake with tender chicken, creamy pesto rice, and melty cheeses ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces

→ 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
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)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In the prepared dish, mix uncooked rice, chicken broth, whole milk, basil pesto, garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
03 - Incorporate diced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach if using; stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the mixture.
05 - Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove foil and continue baking for 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 before serving; garnish optionally with extra pesto or fresh basil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything goes in one dish and the oven does the real work—no babysitting required.
  • The pesto seeps into every grain of rice, making it taste way more interesting than it has any right to be.
  • Melted cheese on top catches the heat just right, turning golden and slightly crispy at the edges.
  • People genuinely believe you fussed when you really just opened some containers.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end—those few minutes let everything firm up just enough that it won't fall apart when you serve it.
  • Stir the initial mixture really well so the rice isn't sitting in a clump; it needs to be spread out and swimming in liquid to cook evenly.
03 -
  • Don't stir the casserole during the first covered bake or you'll disrupt the rice's ability to cook evenly in the liquid.
  • The foil is doing important work keeping the moisture in, so make sure it's sealed well around the edges—no gaps where steam can escape.
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