High-Protein Pesto Chicken Rice Bake
An easy, one-dish dinner packed with flavour and protein! Juicy chicken, rice, basil pesto, broccoli and cherry tomatoes bake together under a golden, cheesy topping. With 49g of protein per serving, minimal prep and hardly any washing up, it's the perfect fuss-free family dinner.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 551kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g white rice uncooked
- 80 g basil pesto
- 200 g raw broccoli chopped into small florets
- 300 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 800 g chicken breast diced
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 70 g mature cheddar grated
- 50 g Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
- Add the uncooked rice, diced chicken, basil pesto, raw broccoli, halved cherry tomatoes and chicken stock to a large baking dish. Then mix well.
- Spread the mixture evenly across the dish, ensuring the rice is submerged in the stock as much as possible.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and give everything a good stir, paying particular attention to the rice around the edges, which tends to cook faster than the rice in the middle. Cover the dish tightly with foil again and return it to the oven for another 15–20 minutes.
- Check that the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. If the rice is still firm, add a splash of hot chicken stock, cover and bake for another 5–10 minutes, or until cooked. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 74°C.
- Once the chicken and rice are cooked, remove the foil and sprinkle the grated mature cheddar and Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Return the dish to the oven, under the grill, uncovered, for 5–10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned beautifully golden.
- Allow the bake to rest for a few minutes before dividing it into six portions and serving.
Cooking times may vary depending on your baking dish and rice variety, so check that the rice is tender before serving. If it needs a little extra time, a splash of hot stock and a tightly sealed foil cover should do the trick.
Video
Notes
- Use uncooked white rice. It cooks directly in the chicken stock, soaking up all that delicious pesto flavour. Keep the foil tightly sealed during baking to trap the steam and help the rice cook evenly.
- Cut the broccoli into small florets. This helps it cook evenly alongside the chicken and rice.
- Choose the right baking dish. Use a dish large enough to spread the ingredients evenly so the rice cooks consistently.
- Check the rice before serving. Different rice varieties and baking dishes can affect cooking times. If the rice is still firm, add a splash of hot stock, cover tightly and continue baking until tender.
- Season carefully. Pesto, Parmesan and chicken stock can all be salty, so taste before adding extra salt.
- Store leftovers safely. Divide leftovers into airtight containers and refrigerate promptly for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition information*
Per serving, based on 6 servings:- Calories: 551 kcal
- Protein: 49g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fat: 23g
- Fibre: 1g