This easy Roasted Basil Chicken is made with creamy basil pesto, Italian seasoning, and fresh garlic. It’s so easy and packed with flavor — perfect to add to your weekly rotation.
What is Roasted Basil Pesto Chicken?
Roasted Basil Pesto Chicken is exactly as it sounds: juicy chicken that’s smothered in a creamy basil pesto sauce (you can try my homemade basil pesto), some spices and aromatics, and then perfectly roasted.
Want more chicken recipes? I’ve got you covered:
- Chicken Scarpariello with Potatoes and Sausage
- Greek Lemon Chicken & Potatoes
- Chicken Francaise
- Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
- Pollo Guisado (Dominican Stewed Chicken)
Do I have to use Homemade Pesto?
No, you don’t. While you can absolutely use my Nut-Free Basil Pesto for this recipe, you can opt to purchase your favorite pesto and use that.
Roasted Basil Pesto Chicken Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe:
Chicken pieces: I’m using bone-in drums and thighs
Basil pesto: Either store-bought or homemade work perfectly
Seasonings: We’ll use salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes
Fresh garlic: Finely chopped
Lemon juice: For a bit of acid
Extra virgin olive oil: You can sub regular olive oil if that’s all you have on hand
How to Make Roasted Basil Pesto Chicken
Here’s how to make this dish:
Step 1: Prep your ingredients
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Prep your ingredients by patting your chicken dry, chopping your garlic, and making your basil pesto (if you’re making it yourself).
Step 2: Marinade your chicken
Add everything to your chicken and massage it in to ensure you get those flavors all over, including underneath the skin.
Let the chicken sit for atleast 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
Note: If letting it marinade in the fridge, make sure to remove to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Step 3: Roast the chicken
Add the chicken to an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400 and roast for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.
Spoon any extra pesto over top before serving.
Roasted Basil Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs bone-in chicken pieces patted dry
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and add a wire rack to a baking sheet (make sure to spray the rack with non-stick spray).
- Add everything to the chicken and mix to fully coat, including getting the seasoning underneath the skin. Let rest for atleast 20 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge (if marinading overnight, remove from the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking)
- Add the chicken to the wire rack set over a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400 and roast for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.
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