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Chicken Margherita for One

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken for one, caprese chicken, dinner for one, pesto chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 1 serving
A pesto-topped chicken breast baked with grape tomatoes and mozzarella and finished with lemon garlic butter.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • ½ tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast (or boneless skinless chicken thigh)
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • ½ cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 ounce shredded mozzarella

Lemon garlic sauce

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions

  • Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub a 5x7-inch baking dish with about ¼ teaspoon of the oil and set the chicken in it.
  • Spread the pesto over the chicken, scatter the tomatoes around it, and drizzle with the rest of the oil.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes, until the center of the chicken reaches 165°F.
  • Sprinkle the mozzarella over the chicken and bake about 5 minutes more, until melted.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and cook 1 minute more. Spoon the hot sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 335g | Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.2g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.6g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 981mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 4.1g | Vitamin A: 2021IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for the whole recipe (1 serving); skinless chicken breast (the first choice counted), shredded mozzarella counted as fresh mozzarella, chopped parsley counted as fresh parsley. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.