If you’re having a busy week, simplicity is key when it comes to cooking – quick and easy dishes will help you stay on track and stick to your macros.
This pesto chicken with mozzarella recipe is incredibly simple to make, and very filling. Besides, you only need three ingredients. What could be better than that?
Optionally, you can add grated Parmesan together with the mozzarella. You can also add freshly ground black pepper to the chicken before cooking it. It’s important not to overcook the chicken, so you should not wait for it to be completely cooked before adding the mozzarella.
When buying your pesto, check the label for the ingredients and for the carbs it contains – pesto is typically low-carb but the actual number can vary. Alternatively, you can try our pesto sauce recipe.
Pesto should contain relatively simple ingredients, but they need to be high-quality, such as olive oil (not canola or vegetable oil), pine nuts, basil, garlic, and organic cheese.
Although it’s often used only as a garnish, pesto contains many health benefits. It’s a good source of the antioxidant chlorophyll, thanks to the basil.
Research shows that chlorophyll has powerful antioxidant properties that decrease the risk of certain cancers, such as pancreatic and colon cancers (1)(2).
Basil has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels and help reduce body weight and BMI (3). It also has numerous neurocognition benefits and has been shown to reduce depression, stress, anxiety, and sexual problems while enhancing memory and cognition (4).
You can serve this recipe with your favorite low-carb veggies or a side salad.
Let’s Do It!
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice them into pieces. You can make about two to three pieces from each breast. Chop them as small as you prefer.
Brush a pan with cooking oil and add 2 tbsp of pesto to the pan.
Gently plop the chicken pieces onto the pesto. Pour the rest of the pesto on top of the chicken and let it cook.
Cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Leave for 15 minutes until the chicken is slightly cooked.
After 15 minutes, remove the foil on the pan then top with generous amounts of grated mozzarella. Continue cooking for four to five minutes more. Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy with your loved ones.
Related:
- Baked Pesto Shrimp with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
- Keto Zucchini Spaghetti with Pesto
- Keto Creamy Tomato Mustard Chicken
- Low Carb Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas
Keto Pesto Chicken with Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 450 g chicken breast
- 5 tbsp pesto sauce
- 60 g Mozzarella whole milk, shredded
Instructions
- Set the oven to 200°C to preheat while making the dish.
- Chop the washed chicken into small portions. You should cut about two to three pieces from each chicken breast.
- Put 2 tbsp of pesto in a pan sprayed with cooking oil.
- Add in the chicken pieces and place the remaining pesto on top of the meat.
- Enclose the pan with aluminum foil and allow to cook for 15 minutes or up till the meat is slightly cooked through.
- Sprinkle the grated mozzarella on the chicken. Remove the foil completely and cook for an additional four to five minutes.
- Serve on a plate and enjoy.
