Skillet Pesto Chicken
This mouth-watering chicken is pan seared in olive oil and then simmered in a creamy, pesto-spiked tomato sauce. I can promise you this: you’ll be licking up every last drop of that sauce. Made in one pan with a handful of ingredients!
There’s so much flavor in this simple pan sauce! That’s thanks to canned tomatoes, store-bought pesto, and a hint of sour cream. The pesto delivers basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, making it a one-stop-shop for intense flavor. The sour cream makes everything velvety, while complimenting the sweetness of the tomatoes.
What kind of chicken should you use? I use thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, and 1 1/4 pounds was about 8 thin pieces. You can use regular chicken breasts, as well as chicken thighs – boneless and bone-in. When using bone-in chicken (and thicker cuts), add 5 to 7 minutes to the simmering time. All chicken should be cooked to 160 degrees.
What kind of tomatoes should you use? I used a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained. You can use regular diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, or diced tomatoes with seasonings (like oregano, garlic, and basil). You can also use petite diced tomatoes. For a smooth sauce, use tomato sauce or tomato puree instead.
The parmesan cheese at the end catapults the pesto flavor! Basil pesto contains parmesan cheese so adding some on top before serving really enhances that flavor. I strongly suggest freshly shredded or freshly grated parmesan cheese for this dish.
How should you serve your skillet pesto chicken? Since the sauce for this chicken is so sublime, I suggest you serve the chicken with something to soak it up, like pasta, rice, or bread. I served my skillet pesto chicken with pearl couscous! Pro tip for the couscous: For maximum flavor, toast your couscous in 1 tablespoon of butter before adding the liquid ingredients. That brings out a wonderful toasty quality in the semolina grain. Also, I recommend cooking your couscous in chicken broth instead of water!
Skillet Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs, I used thin-sliced chicken
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes, regular, seasoned, or fire-roasted, undrained
- 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
- 1/4 cup sour cream, or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Chopped green onions for serving, optional
- Crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and add to the hot pan. Sear until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the pesto and sour cream and return to a simmer.
- Return the chicken to the pan (with any accumulated juices). Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (or longer for bone-in chicken and thicker cuts of chicken). Top with the parmesan cheese and green onions and red pepper flakes (if using) and serve.