Skip to main content
CostcoRecipes
dinnereasy

Baked Pesto Chicken with Costco Kirkland Basil Pesto

Costco's Kirkland basil pesto is the best 3-ingredient marinade for baked chicken — coat the breasts, let them sit for 10 minutes, bake for 25 minutes, and get the most flavorful weeknight chicken on the table.

Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Servings
4
Cost / Serving
$8.24

Quick Answer

Coat Kirkland chicken breasts in Costco's Kirkland basil pesto, let rest 10 minutes, then bake at 400°F for 25 minutes until the internal temperature hits 165°F. The pesto serves as marinade, sauce, and crust all in one — three ingredients, 35 minutes total, serves 4.

Pesto chicken is one of those recipes that seems too simple to be as good as it is. Costco's Kirkland basil pesto is made with real basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts — it's rich enough to serve as both a marinade and a finishing sauce. Coat the chicken, bake it, and dinner is done. The pesto forms a crust on top that browns slightly and keeps the chicken underneath perfectly moist.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chicken breasts dry and season with salt and pepper.

  2. 2

    Place chicken in a baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of pesto evenly over the top of each breast.

  3. 3

    Scatter cherry tomatoes around the chicken in the dish.

  4. 4

    Bake uncovered for 22–25 minutes until the pesto has set into a crust and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature. Avoid overbaking — this is the most common mistake with chicken breasts.

  5. 5

    In the last 3 minutes, add torn mozzarella on top of each breast and return to oven until melted.

  6. 6

    Rest 5 minutes before serving. Finish with lemon juice and fresh basil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I marinate the chicken in pesto overnight?+
Yes, and it improves the flavor. Coat the chicken in pesto, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The olive oil in the pesto gently tenderizes the meat. Just pat off any excess before baking so the top layer of pesto doesn't burn.
Why does my pesto chicken come out dry?+
Overcooked chicken breast is almost always the culprit. Pull it at exactly 165°F — use a meat thermometer if you have one. The pesto coating helps retain moisture, but an extra 5 minutes in the oven will still dry it out.
What sides go best with pesto chicken?+
Roasted asparagus, garlic green beans, rice pilaf, or a simple pasta tossed with olive oil and Parmesan all work beautifully. For a full caprese-style dinner, serve over sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
Can I use Costco pesto on other proteins?+
Kirkland pesto works extremely well on salmon (bake at 400°F for 12 minutes), shrimp (toss and sauté for 4 minutes), and pork tenderloin. It also makes an excellent pasta sauce — thin with a tablespoon of pasta water per serving.

You Might Also Like

rotisserie chickeneasy

Costco Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas

Costco rotisserie chicken enchiladas are the weeknight dinner that feels like a treat but takes less than an hour. The chicken is already cooked and seasoned, so all you're doing is shredding, rolling, saucing, and baking. Use a good store-bought enchilada sauce and a generous handful of Costco shredded Mexican blend cheese, and dinner is done.

45 min·6 servings
$2.33/serving
rotisserie chickeneasy

Costco Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup in under 40 minutes sounds too good to be true, but starting with a Costco rotisserie chicken makes it completely real. You skip the hours of simmering raw chicken by using already-cooked, already-seasoned meat and adding the carcass to the broth for extra depth. The result tastes like something that's been on the stove all day.

40 min·8 servings
$1.87/serving
rotisserie chickeneasy

Costco Rotisserie Chicken Street Tacos

Street tacos are the fastest, most satisfying thing you can make with a Costco rotisserie chicken. The chicken is already seasoned, the prep is minimal, and the whole meal comes together in 15 minutes. Use small corn tortillas, stack them two deep, and don't skip the lime — it makes everything brighter.

15 min·4 servings
$3.00/serving