Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Chicken

Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Chicken, need I say more!  This flavor packed dish is literally ready in 30 minutes, perfect for those busy nights where you want a nutritious protein packed meal ready in no time!

I love this recipe for so many reasons, not only is it quick but full of bright tomato flavors and super cheesy!  MMMmmmm, melted mozzarella cheese.  Who doesn’t love oooey gooey melted cheese on top of their chicken??

This Chicken dish will quickly become a family favorite served with a fresh side salad or whole grain like Farro or couscous.  Cooking tip!  Be sure to use cherry tomatoes and not just dice larger tomatoes.  By using cherry tomatoes and cooking them whole they keep their shape and just look ohh so pretty in the finished dish.  Plus they literally burst in your mouth with all of their fresh vibrant tomato flavors!

To make this chicken you start off by butterflying the chicken breasts then spread a bit of pesto, add the roasted bell pepper slices and fresh mozzarella cheese.  Finally season with sea salt and pepper then gently fold over the chicken breast.

I like to cook this Cheese Pesto Stuffed Chicken in my cast iron skillet but you could use a baking or casserole dish as well.  As long as the sides are high enough to trap all of that delicious juice from the tomatoes as they bake.  Pour a bit of olive oil into the bottom of the pan then place the chicken breasts into the pan.  Spread some more pesto on top of the chicken then add more mozzarella.

About half way through cooking add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients to the skillet and return to the oven for about 10 more minutes of baking. Boom you are done!  It is that simple!

Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Chicken, a protein packed flavorful chicken dish that is ready in less than 30 minutes!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 Cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
• 1/3 Cup Roasted Bell Pepper slices
• 1 Cup Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 Cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ Cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Butterfly the chicken through the middle horizontally to within a 1/2 inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out so they look like an open book. Spread the pesto evenly on each side and then add roasted bell pepper  and then add mozzarella cheese. Fold over the chicken sides to cover the filling.

Place the chicken in a 12 inch skillet. Rub with pesto, top with more fresh mozzarella and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes, then add the tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. Season the tomatoes with salt.

Return skillet to the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the skillet from the oven and top with fresh basil.

Pin this Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Chicken to your favorite Chicken, quick or simple dinner boards in Pinterest for later!