Pesto Chicken
This juicy chicken is pan-seared and then simmered in a velvety sauce made with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and a little cream. I basically named the entire ingredient list and this one-pan meal is ready in about 20 minutes.
The ingredient list may be short, but flavors explode! When you combine basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, magic happens! The pesto delivers the essence of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, and the chewy-sweet sun-dried tomatoes add a pop of color and tanginess. It’s the perfect pairing – both visually and flavor-wise.
Choose your favorite store-bought pesto. It can be the refrigerated variety or the kind sold in jars in the center aisles of the grocery store. Since the pesto is a major component of the sauce, choose one that you love.
I used oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes because they’re perfectly tender. If you choose the sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil (these are often sold in the produce section), I suggest you soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes before using.
This recipe works with any cut of chicken you want! I used thin-sliced chicken breasts, but you can also use tenders, and skinless chicken thighs. If you have bone-in chicken, simply add about 5 minutes to the cooking time.
What should you serve with your creamy pesto chicken? I suggest serving something to soak up the amazing sauce! I recommend fluffy rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, or your favorite grain!
Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 larger chicken breasts halved through the middle to create 4 thin cutlets
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, or chicken stock
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the chicken broth to the same pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the sun dried tomatoes and pesto and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream.
- Return the chicken to the pan with any accumulated juices from the plate. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduces (you can simmer the chicken for up to 20 minutes if you’re busy with side dishes).
- Garnish with parsley or basil (if using) and serve.