Baked Pesto Chicken Mac & Cheese (Printable)

Tender pesto chicken meets bubbly cheese sauce and crispy parmesan topping in this comforting Italian-American casserole.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni or short pasta

→ Chicken & Marinade

02 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 14 oz total
03 - 3 tablespoons basil pesto
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese Sauce

07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
09 - 2 cups whole milk, warmed
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
12 - 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
13 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Topping

17 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
18 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
19 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
20 - 2 tablespoons basil pesto

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than package instructions, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
03 - While pasta cooks, butterfly the chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 3 tablespoons pesto, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces until just cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk and heavy cream. Stir constantly until sauce slightly thickens, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses until completely melted and smooth. Add garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
07 - In a large bowl, gently combine the cooked pasta, cheese sauce, and pesto-marinated chicken until evenly distributed.
08 - Pour the combined mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
09 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, grated parmesan cheese, and basil pesto. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the casserole.
10 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling at the edges. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Creamy, cheese-forward comfort with basil pesto woven throughout instead of sitting on top like an afterthought.
  • The crispy pesto-butter panko topping stays crunchy long enough to matter, even after the casserole settles.
  • One dish feeds six people generously, and it reheats beautifully the next day if there are leftovers.
02 -
  • If your cheese sauce looks grainy or broken, stop and add a splash of cold milk while whisking off the heat—it usually comes back together.
  • Undercooking the pasta by two minutes is not optional; it makes the difference between tender and mushy after baking.
  • The pesto-panko topping will continue to brown for a minute after you take the dish out of the oven, so pull it when it looks just shy of where you want it.
03 -
  • Grate your cheeses fresh from the block instead of buying pre-shredded—the sauce becomes silky instead of grainy and tastes noticeably better.
  • If your pesto has pine nuts and you're serving guests, mention it quietly so anyone with allergies knows before they eat.
  • Make this completely in advance and refrigerate it unbaked, then add ten minutes to the baking time straight from the fridge.
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