Get ready for a clever and gluten free version of chicken parmesan that you wish you would’ve tried years ago. I am so excited to share this one with you!!! I am a huge lover of chicken parmesan and have made it countless times since going gluten free. After some time online the other day, I found an amazing new take on your typical chicken parmesan, adding pesto to the mix! That’s right, by adding a pesto layer to your traditional chicken parmesan you create a Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan that is overflowing with flavor. I cannot believe I never thought to combine one of my favorite dishes with one of my favorite sauces. Thank you Iowa Girl Eats for an ingenious idea! This is a brilliant combination that was added to my recipe book immediately and is definitely one that you should try!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb skinless chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts cut in half or in thirds)
- 1/3 cup pesto (Cento or Bellino)
- 1 cup tomato sauce (Tuttorosso, I add fresh garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic salt)
- 8 oz sliced fresh mozzarella (BelGioioso)
- Salt and Pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare tomato sauce by adding desired amounts of fresh garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, and garlic salt to a can of Tuttorosso tomato sauce. Alternatively you can use the tomato sauce straight from the can or prepared sauce from a jar.
- Trim the chicken breasts (I had 2) and carefully cut into halves or thirds depending on your desired thickness.
- Add chicken to 9″ x 12″ baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
- Layer pesto on top of chicken breasts making sure to coat evenly.
- Cover chicken breasts with tomato sauce and lay fresh mozzarella on top.
- Cover with foil tightly and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and cheese is golden brown and bubbly
- Enjoy the chicken with any desired vegetable on the side and be sure to cover the chicken with plenty of sauce!
I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. The combination of pesto and tomato creates an incredible sauce that envelopes the mozzarella covered chicken. The chicken is especially moist and absorbs all of the flavors of the amazing sauce combination perfectly. When serving, pair this with a generous side of extra thin string beans and make sure to ladle extra sauce atop the chicken to enjoy all of the tasty goodness in each bite. I must say, this dish was absolutely delicious and brought an instant smile to my little girl’s face with her first bite (and I believe an “mmmm” accompanied that too). This is definitely a keeper for us and I cannot wait to enjoy this flavor combination again!
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Lindsay
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts)
- 1/3 cup pesto (Cento or Bellino)
- 1 cup tomato sauce (Tuttorosso which I season with fresh garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic salt)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (BelGioioso cheeses are gluten free)
- Salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare tomato sauce (either use straight from jar or can or add additional seasonings as I do with unseasoned Tuttorosso sauce).
- Trim chicken breasts and cut in half or in thirds depending on width of chicken breast.
- Add chicken to 9" x 12" baking dish.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Layer pesto on top of chicken and evenly coat.
- Spoon tomato sauce on top of chicken and layer with fresh mozzarella.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for about 10 more minutes (cheese should be golden brown and bubbly).
Jo-Lynne Shane {Musings of a Housewife}
June 23, 2014 at 10:06 am (10 years ago)Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering. I am totally trying this!