Description
This Creamy Pesto Chicken is a delicious and easy-to-make dish featuring tender chicken breasts simmered in a flavorful sauce made from garlic, grape tomatoes, heavy cream, and pesto. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this recipe offers a rich and comforting meal that’s ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lb. total)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup pesto
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Fillet the chicken breasts into two thinner pieces or pound them to an even thickness and cut each breast in half to create four portions. Season both sides of the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the surface. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook each side until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 7-10 minutes total. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Tomatoes: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the minced garlic and halved grape tomatoes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften and start to lose their shape, releasing their juices.
- Make the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and pesto with the tomatoes in the skillet. Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
- Combine and Heat Through: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet, turning to coat it thoroughly in the creamy pesto tomato sauce. Let it simmer for a few more minutes to heat the chicken through. Serve the dish hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- You can use any type of pesto for this recipe; basil pesto gives a classic flavor, but red pesto would be equally delicious.
- Pesto can vary in price; brands like Alessi, Barilla, Classico, or Filippo Berio often provide good quality at a reasonable cost.
Keywords: Creamy Pesto Chicken, Chicken Breast Recipe, Italian Chicken, Easy Dinner, Pesto Sauce, Creamy Chicken