Pesto Chicken Flatbread (Printable)

Flavorful flatbread layered with pesto, chicken, mozzarella, and fresh veggies, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Flatbread Base

01 - 2 large store-bought or homemade flatbreads, approximately 8 x 10 inches each

→ Chicken

02 - 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (about 10.5 oz)

→ Pesto

03 - 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Cheese

04 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 5.3 oz)
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 0.9 oz)

→ Vegetables & Toppings

06 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2.6 oz)
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh baby arugula leaves (approx. 0.35 oz)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place flatbreads on the prepared baking sheet. Spread a generous layer of pesto over each flatbread, leaving a small border around the edges.
03 - Evenly distribute the sliced cooked chicken over the pesto-coated flatbreads.
04 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken.
05 - Top with halved cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced red onion.
06 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and edges of flatbread are golden brown.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with fresh arugula, basil leaves, and freshly ground black pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in half an hour, which means weeknight stress actually goes down instead of up.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need a complicated technique to impress.
  • Cheese gets bubbly, edges get golden, and somehow it feels fancier than the fifteen minutes of actual work it took.
02 -
  • Don't add the arugula before baking—it'll turn into a sad green memory instead of staying fresh and peppery.
  • If your flatbread is thick, it might need an extra minute or two, so don't panic if twelve minutes isn't quite enough.
  • The pesto contains salt, so taste before adding more pepper; seasoning layers build fast here.
03 -
  • Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store saves you thirty minutes and tastes every bit as good as chicken you roasted yourself.
  • Shred your cheese fresh instead of buying pre-shredded—it melts more smoothly and doesn't have that anti-caking coating that changes the texture.
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking at ten minutes; if it runs cool, don't be shocked if you need seventeen.
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