This Creamy Pesto Chicken is a quick and easy 30 minute meal that needs to be on your weeknight dinner rotation. It's rich, creamy, and delicious. Tender and juicy chicken breast is seared and then tossed in a creamy pesto sauce loaded with flavor.
Serve this restaurant-quality pesto chicken to feed the family on busy weeknights, to impress a date on Date Night, or even for meal prep lunches through the week over pasta or rice.
Why You'll Love This Creamy Pesto Chicken
- Easy chicken dinner in under 30 minutes. Creamy pesto chicken is an easy chicken recipe that takes just 25 minutes to cook. You just sear the chicken, make the creamy sauce with veggies, and toss the chicken back in. It's an easy to follow recipe that's also perfect for beginners to build confidence in the kitchen.
- Chicken that is tender and juicy every time. This pesto chicken is tender and juicy every time especially since it's tossed in the rich creamy pesto sauce. So if you happen to overcook your chicken, it’s no problem. The creamy sauce will add any lost juiciness right back in.
- It’s yummy and versatile. Even though this recipe is easy to make doesn’t mean it’s lacking at all. The pesto chicken is incredibly flavorful, the sauce it creamy and soaks up anything, and you can use it in tons of different recipes. Serve it as is over rice, pasta, or with some bread for major dipping. You can also use any leftover chicken to make a hot pesto chicken panini with roasted tomatoes and mozzarella or a cold pesto chicken wrap with arugula and cucumber. The options are endless.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Creamy Pesto Chicken, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- chicken breasts - we seared the boneless and skinless breasts in vegetable oil. You can also substitute with boneless skinless chicken thighs if you want.
- pesto - we used our Basil Pesto in this recipe and love using it any recipe that calls for pesto because it’s so easy to make in just minutes. You can of course also use store-bought pesto sauce too — whichever is more convenient!
- butter + heavy cream - the perfect combination to a rich and creamy sauce.
- aromatics - we sauté red onion and garlic which adds the best flavor to this chicken dish.
- red bell pepper - you can substitute the bell peppers with another vegetable of your choice. A common substitute are cherry tomatoes.
- salt and pepper
- toppings - we topped this pesto chicken with fresh basil and pine nuts, which I totally recommend. The pine nuts add a nice crunch which is a nice contrast to the smooth and creamy chicken.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.
How to Make the Best Creamy Pesto Chicken
- Season chicken. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken breasts completely dry. Season well with salt, pepper, and pesto sauce. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Sear chicken. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer. Allow the chicken to rest on a plate and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics. In the same skillet, add butter and heat until it melts and starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add pesto. Whisk in cream and pesto sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir occasionally until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add veggies. Add bell pepper and cook under tender, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken. Return the chicken to the pan and toss well to coat. Let the chicken cook with the sauce for another minute and garnish with pine nuts and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
How to Serve
This Creamy Pesto Chicken is delicious served on its own, served over pasta or rice, and/or paired with some of my favorite sides including:
- Lemon Parmesan Asparagus
- Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad
- Pesto Green Beans
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Baby Potatoes
- Pull Apart Garlic Bread
- Caprese Salad
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Meal prep tips: Keep pesto chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend slicing or dicing the chicken before you store, depending on your needs for meal prep.
- How to store: Creamy pesto chicken will last for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. By the fourth day, it’s probably still good to eat, but if it hasn’t been stored properly, you may need to toss it.
- How to reheat: Reheat creamy pesto chicken over the stove on medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much when storing.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Baked Queso Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Madeira
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Creamy Pesto Chicken
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Creamy Pesto Chicken is a quick and easy 30 minute meal that needs to be on your family weeknight dinner rotation. It's rich, creamy, and delicious.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (about 2 pounds)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to pat the chicken breasts completely dry. Season well with salt, pepper, and pesto sauce. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer. Allow the chicken to rest on a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add butter and heat until it melts and starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in cream and pesto sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir occasionally until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add bell pepper and cook under tender, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss well to coat. Let the chicken cook with the sauce for another minute and garnish with pine nuts and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Meal prep tips: Keep pesto chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend slicing or dicing the chicken before you store, depending on your needs for meal prep.
How to store: Creamy pesto chicken will last for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. By the fourth day, it’s probably still good to eat, but if it hasn’t been stored properly, you may need to toss it.
How to reheat: Reheat creamy pesto chicken over the stove on medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much when storing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: creamy pesto chicken, pesto chicken, chicken in creamy pesto sauce
Food Blogger Business School
A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business
in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.
b says
Excellent dish. Served with sourdough bread.
Loved how easy this was but so delicious.
★★★★★