These low carb 3-ingredient pesto chicken bites are the kind of dish you keep in your back pocket for busy nights and potlucks. My Aunt Martha showed me this trick years ago for church suppers: just chicken, pesto, and mozzarella. The chicken bakes up tender and juicy, the pesto keeps it bright and flavorful, and the melted cheese gives you that bubbly, golden top everyone reaches for first. It’s simple enough for a weeknight, but special enough that people always ask, “Who brought the chicken bites?”.
Serve these pesto chicken bites warm right out of the oven with a simple green salad or steamed veggies to keep things low carb. They’re also great on a platter with toothpicks for parties, alongside sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and olives. If your crew isn’t strictly low carb, you can spoon the bites over buttered noodles, rice, or toasted baguette slices to soak up the extra cheesy pesto juices.
Low Carb 3-Ingredient Pesto Chicken BitesServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (store-bought or homemade, low carb if needed)
1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish or a rimmed sheet pan so the chicken doesn’t stick and cleanup stays easy.
Pat the chicken breast cubes dry with paper towels. This helps them brown a bit and stay juicy instead of steaming.
Place the chicken cubes in a mixing bowl and add the basil pesto. Toss well until every piece is evenly coated in the pesto. If it looks a little dry, you can add a spoonful more pesto to lightly glaze the pieces.
Spread the pesto-coated chicken cubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Make sure they’re not piled on top of each other so they cook evenly and stay tender.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the chicken, covering most of the pieces so you get that bubbly, cheesy layer with little golden brown spots.
Bake on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots.
For extra golden color, you can switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Watch very closely so the cheese doesn’t burn.
Let the pesto chicken bites rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This helps the juices settle so each bite stays tender and moist. Serve straight from the baking dish or transfer to a white platter for a pretty, potluck-ready presentation.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can split the chicken into two bowls: toss half with pesto as written, and leave the other half plain with just a little salt and pepper before topping everything with mozzarella. If someone isn’t sure about pesto, this gives them a milder cheesy chicken option. You can also use chicken tenderloins cut into chunks instead of breasts if that’s what you have. For a different flavor, swap in sun-dried tomato pesto or a spinach-basil pesto, still keeping it to three ingredients. If you like extra cheesiness, add a little more mozzarella on top, but remember that adding more cheese may create more oil in the pan as it bakes. To keep it very low carb, choose a pesto without added sugars and serve with non-starchy vegetables. For food safety, always start with fully thawed chicken and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to prep. Avoid rinsing raw chicken, as that can spread bacteria around your sink area. Use a clean cutting board and knife just for the raw chicken, and wash your hands and any surfaces it touches with hot, soapy water. Check that the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) with a food thermometer before serving, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container.
