Juicy chicken breast with pesto and mozzarella tucked inside a pocket, wrapped in bacon, topped with sun-dried tomatoes, then finished with a crunchy Parmesan breadcrumb cap. It looks dinner-party pretty, but it's weeknight-easy. (The oven does the work. You take the credit.)

A sliced chicken breast with pesto and mozzarella. The inside is visible.

At a Glance

Recipe: Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast With Mozzarella (Bacon-Wrapped, Crunchy Parm Top)
🕒 Total time: 45 minutes ⏲️ Prep: 10 minutes 🍳 Bake: 35 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4
⭐ Difficulty: Easy
🔥 Oven: 430°F / 220°C

Jump to:

At a Glance
Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken With Sun Dried Tomato
Why this works
What You'll Need
How to Make It
Top Tips
What to serve with it
📖 Recipe
3 x Chicken

Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken With Sun Dried Tomato

Here's what lands on your plate: a gooey, melty middle, salty crisp bacon edges, and a golden top that actually crunches when you cut in.

A lot of recipes say "butterfly, add pesto, bake until golden." This one shows you how to cut a tidy pocket so the cheese mostly stays in, wrap it snug so it stays juicy, and build a real crunchy cap so the top stays crisp.

And if you're in need of more easy chicken bakes? This Italian chicken casserole, easy-baked crispy sesame honey chicken, and a casserole with chicken lemon and thyme are really delicious and easy to prepare as well!

Why this works

Bacon wrap gives a seal and juiciness. Snug bacon helps keep the pocket closed and bastes the chicken as it bakes.
Crunch-cap method. Breadcrumbs soak up rendered bacon fat, Parmesan browns fast. That's how you get a crisp top, not a soggy one.
Sun-dried tomatoes on top. They caramelize and add concentrated savory flavor in every bite.
High heat. 430°F gives color and melt without drying out the chicken.

What You'll Need

A full list of ingredients can be found at the end of this blog.

Ingredients Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast With Mozzarella on a black background with text description

Chicken breasts: Mild flavor, perfect for stuffing. Cutting a pocket (not slicing all the way through) keeps the filling mostly inside.
Pesto: Big flavor, no extra work. Garlicky, herby, a little salty. Swap: basil pesto is classic. If you use a different pesto, keep the amount the same. Red tomato pesto gives a slight sweeter flavor.
Mozzarella: Creamy, melts beautifully. I you use shredded mozzarella, which works too, pack it deeper into the pocket so it's less likely to leak out of the chicken.
Bacon: This is your "seal" and makes sure your chicken stays moist. It also adds salty crisp edges. Swap: pancetta works. It's a bit firmer and more intense. Because of the round shape it's harder to wrap around the chicken. Use toothpicks if needed to close the chicken.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Punchy, concentrated tomato flavor. On top they caramelize instead of watering down the pocket. You can skip them if you have none, but they really boost the "wow."
Breadcrumbs: For the crunchy top. You could use panko which makes it extra crunchy.
Parmesan: Salty, nutty, fast-browning. It's the reason the top turns deep golden and crisp. Swap: another hard grating cheese also works.

How to Make It

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe card below.

Chicken fillet is cut open until a pocket is formed.

Step 1: With a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast about ¾ of the way along the long side. Do not cut through-leave the back attached.

A cut open chicken fillet on which pesto is spread.

Step 2: Spread a teaspoon of pesto inside.

A chicken fillet cut open, spread with pesto and topped with mozzarella

Step 3: Tuck in one piece of mozzarella. Close the pocket.

A baking dish in which a stuffed chicken fillet with bacon is rolled is placed.

Step 4: Wrap each breast with 2 bacon slices snugly. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.

A casserole dish with stuffed chicken fillets sprinkled with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.

Step 5: Scatter the chopped sun-dried tomatoes over the chicken. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, then Parmesan.

A wide photo of an oven dish in which a cooked chicken fillet filled with pesto and mozzarella is placed

Step 6: Bake 35 minutes, or until done. Serve right away.

Lay the chicken breast in front of you and cut with a sharp knife ¾th of the chicken breast (so not through and through). A small pocket is then formed.
Put 1 teaspoon of pesto alla Genovese in the chicken.
Add a piece of Mozzarella cheese to the chicken and close the pocket.
Wrap the chicken with bacon.
Put them in a casserole dish. Repeat step 1 to 4 with the other chicken breast.
Slice the sun-dried tomatoes finely and spread them on top.
Cover with breadcrumbs.
Then top everything with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 minutes in the preheated oven at 430 °F (220 °C).

Top Tips

Want a really crisp top? Add breadcrumbs and Parmesan right before baking.
Is the top still pale at 35 minutes? Broil 2-3 minutes. Stay close.
Doneness: clear juices, no pink meat. Meat thermometer should be 160-165°F.

What to serve with it

Roasted baby potatoes
Parmesan green beans
Strawberry arugula salad if you want something fresh and bright

A chicken breast lifted out of a baking dish, the cheese threads visible!

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

Need more inspiration?

You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!