Baked Pesto Chicken Mac & Cheese (Printable View)

Creamy three-cheese macaroni with seasoned pesto chicken and golden panko crust.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni

→ Chicken

02 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
06 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs

→ Pesto

07 - 1/2 cup basil pesto

→ Sauce

08 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Topping

16 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Cook until golden and cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with basil pesto until evenly coated.
04 - In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to create a roux. Gradually whisk in milk while stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Stir mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar, and garlic powder into the warm sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste until fully melted and combined.
06 - In a large bowl, combine cooked macaroni, cheese sauce, and pesto chicken. Fold gently to coat all ingredients evenly without breaking pasta.
07 - Spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
08 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix until breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the casserole surface.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until the casserole is bubbling at the edges and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually make it on a Tuesday without losing your mind.
  • The pesto cuts through the richness of the cheese sauce in a way that makes you want another spoonful even when you're full.
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, and enough leftovers that you'll be sneaking bites straight from the fridge the next morning.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooking the roux (flour and butter mixture) for that full minute—it makes a difference in how the sauce tastes and thickens.
  • If your cheese sauce looks thin, you likely need more simmering time; if it breaks or looks grainy, the temperature went too high, so lower the heat and whisk in a splash more milk.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble it completely, cover it, and refrigerate it raw—just add 5–10 minutes to the baking time since it'll start cold.
  • Use a meat thermometer when cooking chicken; it should reach 165°F internally, which happens faster than you'd think with bite-sized pieces.
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