Chicken Pesto Recipe

I love using pesto in recipes because it adds tons of flavor in one fell swoop, which is super important when it comes to busy weeknights. This Creamy pesto Chicken is absolutely stunning on the plate, yet it’s super fast and easy. This is another one of those great “date night” dinners for when you want to impress someone, but you’re nervous so you also need something easy and fool-proof.

The beauty of this dish is that you can use just about any type of pesto. I used a basil pesto this time around, but a red pesto would also be awesome. Pesto can be on the pricey side, but there are several brands that are a bit more affordable. Look for Alessi, Barilla, Classico, or Filippo Berio.

This deliciously creamy pesto sauce pairs well with several different ingredients, if you want to take this dish up a notch. Try adding spinach, artichokes, or broccoli for some extra veggies. Or if you want to make this dish extra indulgent, add some grated Parmesan on top, too. I probably also wouldn’t be against adding bacon.

This chicken has a super lush and creamy sauce and you won’t want to waste a single drop, so make sure to serve this chicken with pasta, rice, or garlic bread to soak it all up. You can spoon the chicken and sauce over a bed of pasta or rice, or serve the chicken and sauce in a bowl with some crusty bread for dipping.

Because the sauce is so rich, you’ll definitely want to serve up something light and fresh on the side, so this is the perfect opportunity to make a simple side salad.

Creamy Pesto Chicken

Creamy pesto chicken is a fast, easy, and impressive main dish for dinner, whether you just want to treat yourself or impress guests!

Prep: 10min

Total: 35min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 serving, calories 415 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 34 g, Fat 28 g, Sodium 403 mg, Fiber 2 g

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1.3 lb. total) ($6.59)
• 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
• 1/8 tsp pepper ($0.01)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.32)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half ($2.00)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream ($0.62)
• 1/4 cup pesto ($0.99)

Instruction:

1. Fillet the chicken breasts into two thinner pieces (or pound the chicken to an even thickness then cut each breast in half to create four portions). Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes total). Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
3. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the minced garlic and halved grape tomatoes. Sauté for about five minutes, or until the tomatoes start to soften and lose their shape.
4. Add the heavy cream and pesto to the skillet with the tomatoes and stir to combine. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking.
5. Add the chicken back to the skillet with the tomatoes and sauce, turning to coat the chicken. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for just a few minutes more to heat through. Serve hot.

2 Ingredient Pesto Chicken

Pesto Chicken GRILLED OR OVEN BAKED, smothered in a creamy, homemade Basil Pesto! Served with cherry tomatoes, this chicken is out of this world crazy good with only 2 main ingredients needed!

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless and boneless chicken breast fillets ((about 1 kg | 2 pounds))
• 1/2 cup Basil Pesto (, plus 1/4 cup extra for serving (use this recipe for homemade pesto or you can use store bought))
• Salt and Pepper to season ((optional – adjust to your tastes))
• 500 g | 17 ounces cherry tomatoes ((optional as a serving idea))

Instruction:

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2. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Grill:’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Preheat a barbecue plate, grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes each side or until completely cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate. Grill the tomatoes, rotating once, until soft and beginning to brown.’, ‘name’: ‘Preheat a barbecue plate, grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes each side or until completely cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate. Grill the tomatoes, rotating once, until soft and beginning to brown.’, ‘url’: ‘https://cafedelites.com/2-ingredient-pesto-chicken-recipe/#wprm-recipe-40441-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Top chicken with extra pesto. Serve with the tomatoes.’, ‘name’: ‘Top chicken with extra pesto. Serve with the tomatoes.’, ‘url’: ‘https://cafedelites.com/2-ingredient-pesto-chicken-recipe/#wprm-recipe-40441-step-1-1’}]}
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Easy Baked Pesto Chicken

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken is a tasty dinner that you can make with purchased pesto if you don’t have any in the freezer.

Prep: 10min

Total: 45min

Serving Size: 1

Nutrition Facts: calories 450 calories, Carbohydrate 3 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 141 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 26 grams fat, Fiber 0 grams fiber, Protein 49 grams protein, Saturated Fat 7 grams saturated fat, servingSize 1, Sodium 590 milligrams sodium, Sugar 0 grams sugar, unSaturated Fat 17 grams unsaturated fat

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning chicken
• 1/2 cup basil pesto (see notes)
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or more if you like it cheesy!)

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken pieces, then cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces. (I cut the larger ones into 3 strips and the smaller ones into 2 strips.)
2. Spray a 9″ x 12″ (or 8.5″ X 12.5″) baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 cup basil pesto over the bottom of the dish.
3. Lay chicken strips over the pesto, then spread 1/4 cup more basil pesto over the chicken. (I used a rubber scraper (affiliate link) to spread the pesto in the dish and over the chicken.)
4. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (or use a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid) and bake the chicken for 25-30 minutes, just until chicken is barely firm and cooked through. (Don’t cook too much at this point, or the chicken will be overcooked by the time the cheese is melted and browned.)
5. When chicken is barely cooked through, remove foil and sprinkle chicken with 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese.
6. Put dish back into the oven without foil and cook 5 minutes more, just until cheese is melted. (If your broiler is separate from the oven, start preheating it when you take the chicken out.)
7. After I melted the cheese for 5 minutes I switched my oven to broil and broiled for 5 minutes more, just long enough to get the cheese lightly browned.
8. Serve hot. There will be some flavorful juice in the bottom of the dish when this is done, so you may want to serve with rice, Cauliflower Rice, or quinoa to soak up the juice.

Make Pesto-Glazed Chicken Breasts In 20 Minutes, The Curtis Stone Way | TODAY

FAQ

What goes well with chicken pesto?

• Green Beans and Bacon. …
• Instant Pot Rice Pilaf. …
• How to Make Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) …
• Cauliflower Rice. …
• Southern Pan Fried Potatoes and Onions. …
• Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese. …
• Simple Roasted Butternut Squash. …
• Twice Baked Potato Recipe.

Does pesto work with chicken?

What goes well with pesto?

Should I put pesto on before or after cooking?

1. Make pesto, nice and fresh.
2. Boil pasta al dente.
3. Drain pasta and put in mixing bowl. …
4. Add a couple TBS or more (depending on serving size) of hot pasta water to pasta in bowl and stir.
5. Add fresh pesto to pasta and coat and stir. …
6. Enjoy!