Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Green Beans Recipe

Sheet pan pesto mozzarella chicken and green beans.

4.48 from 17 votes

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Green Beans Recipe

This easy sheet pan meal features cheesy, sun-dried tomato pesto chicken breasts baked with mozzarella and crispy, garlick-y, Panko-coated green beans. This one pan dinner is ready in 30 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 677kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Ingredients

For the Green Beans:

12 ounces green beans washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons Italian Panko breadcrumbs *

For the Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts **
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto ***
2 slices mozzarella cheese ****

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425℉ and line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the washed and trimmed green beans on the prepared baking sheet, then toss them in the olive oil and garlic salt. Add the breadcrumbs and toss to fully coat. Push the green beans to one side of the baking sheet.
12 ounces green beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, 2 tablespoons Italian Panko breadcrumbs
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste. Lay the chicken breasts on the opposite side of the baking sheet from the green beans.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, ground black pepper
Carefully spread 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato pesto evenly over each of the chicken breasts.
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
Cover each chicken breast with 1 slice of cheese (or about ½ cup of shredded cheese).
2 slices mozzarella cheese
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches internal temperature of 165℉.

Video

Notes

*Plain Panko or regular breadcrumbs can be used instead. This ingredient can easily be omitted if you don't have it.

**If using bone-in breasts, boneless thighs, or chicken tenders instead, adjust cooking time.

***Red pepper pesto, basil pesto, and other pesto varieties all work great here. If you want to get creative, try it with chimichurri or Romesco.

****I like using sliced mozzarella cheese for this recipe, but I've also used shredded cheese. I would use about 1 cup. Another cheese can be used instead.

Becky's Top Tips:

Be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment or aluminum for easy cleanup!
If you want to avoid the possibility of some cheese running into the green beans, you can make an aluminum foil dam to split the baking sheet in half.
Make sure the green beans aren’t overcrowded on the pan. They need space for better browning.
If your chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, consider pounding them to an even thickness. This ensures they cook at the same rate and prevents drying out.
Don't skip patting the chicken dry, or the cheese may slide off.
I recommend using a thicker (pasty rather than oily) pesto to help the cheese stick.
Properly cooked chicken should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
For extra browning, broil the chicken for the last 3-5 minutes.
I recommend serving this dish with crusty bread, rice, or roasted potatoes for a complete meal.
Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or microwave for 1-2 minutes on high.

Make-Ahead: You can prep this meal on the sheet pan ahead (without baking) and store it in the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking.

Storage: Store chicken and green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition