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Creamy pesto chicken is super flavorful, looks stunning on the plate and is deceptively simple to prepare. This creamy chicken pesto recipe is made with chicken breast and basic seasonings you already have on hand but gets a boost of flavor from store-bought pesto. This pesto cream chicken is perfect for date night but also easy enough for a weeknight family dinner.
Skillet pesto chicken pairs juicy chicken breast with a fragrant cream sauce and tomatoes bursting with flavor. Creamy pesto chicken is not just simple to make; it’s tasty and versatile. Serve this creamy chicken pesto recipe with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes and add steamed veggies and bread to make it a complete meal.
If you love one-pan skillet meals, try my Easy Marry Me Chicken Recipe, Chicken Margherita Skillet or Low Carb Breakfast Potato Skillet.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken Pesto Recipe
- It’s made with pantry staples. Grab some chicken breast, fresh tomatoes and store-bought pesto. Everything else you need for this elegant chicken dish is in your pantry or fridge.
- It’s ready in a flash. This savory skillet pesto chicken is prepared in just 30 minutes.
- It’s diet friendly. This dish is low carb and gluten-free and loaded with protein.
Pesto Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: select boneless skinless chicken breasts that are similar in size for even cooking.
- Seasoning: combine garlic powder, paprika, salt and ground pepper
- Olive Oil: use your favorite light, neutral-flavored oil
- Tomatoes: use fresh cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Garlic: freshly minced garlic adds a deep, earthy flavor
- Basil Pesto: use homemade or storebought pesto
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream will give you the creamiest sauce, but you can substitute half and half.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: adjust as desired to control the heat level
- Parsley: chopped for garnish
How To Make Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil on a medium flame, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn golden. Transfer them to a plate and set them aside.
- Blister the tomatoes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, add the cherry tomatoes and roast for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes start blistering. Remove the tomatoes to a plate and set them aside.
- Prepare the cream sauce. To the same skillet, add the minced garlic, pesto sauce, and heavy cream and let it cook until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Finish the chicken and serve. Transfer the chicken back to the skillet along with the tomatoes, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Once done, season with crushed pepper flakes and garnish with parsley. Serve the creamy pesto chicken with greens on the side.
Tips To Make Skillet Pesto Chicken
- Choose chicken breasts that are similar in size for even cooking.
- If needed, pound the chicken so they are even thickness.
- Add in more veggies like onions, broccoli, asparagus or fresh spinach.
- Substitute shrimp or salmon for the chicken if preferred.
- You can use half and half instead of the heavy cream; however, the sauce will be less rich.
- If you have leftover pesto, you can freeze it for later use.
- Always cook the chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F when checked with a digital meat thermometer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pesto is made of fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. You can make homemade pesto or purchase pesto in a jar at your local grocery store.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins in place of the chicken breast in this recipe. Adjust the cooking time as needed.
Leftover creamy pesto chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of milk or water to keep the sauce creamy.
While you can freeze the leftovers, the cream sauce doesn’t always stand up well to freezing, so we don’t recommend it.
This tasty skillet chicken dish is perfect served with steamed or roasted vegetables and Cheesy Pesto Breadsticks. If you want to take it to the next level, add buttery noodles or serve with this Mozzarella Caprese Salad Recipe.
More Pesto Recipes
- Pesto Stuffed Chicken
- Cherry Tomato Pesto Pasta
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe
- Pesto Burrata Veggie Pizza Recipe
- Pesto Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 10 ounce cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil on a medium flame, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn golden. Transfer them to a plate and set them aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil add the cherry tomatoes and roast for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes start blistering. Remove the tomatoes to a plate and set them aside.
- To the same skillet, add the minced garlic, pesto sauce, and heavy cream and let it cook until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Transfer the chicken back to the skillet along with the tomatoes, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Once done, season with crushed pepper flakes and garnish with parsley. Serve the creamy pesto chicken with greens on the side.
Notes
- Choose chicken breasts that are similar in size for even cooking.
- If needed, pound the chicken so they are even thickness.
- Add in more veggies like onions, broccoli, asparagus or fresh spinach.
- Substitute shrimp or salmon for the chicken if preferred.
- You can use half and half instead of the heavy cream; however, the sauce will be less rich.
- If you have leftover pesto, you can freeze it for later use.
- Always cook the chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F when checked with a digital meat thermometer.
I always come on this website for dinner ideas. I really didn’t wanna make dinner tonight but figured I’d try this. My husband and i absolutely LOVED IT!!! Literally tastes like a meal from Italy.
Hi Aseel!
Thanks for leaving a review. I am glad you and your husband enjoy the recipes.