Creamy Pesto Chicken
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
494 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Creamy Pesto Chicken
Description
This recipe starts by slicing chicken breasts thinly for quick, even cooking. The chicken is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then coated in flour for a light crust. It's pan-seared in olive oil and butter until golden and cooked through. After removing the chicken, the skillet is used to prepare the sauce by combining garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, basil pesto, Italian seasoning, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, which thickens to a velvety texture.
The sauce imparts an herb-rich, creamy flavor that complements the tender chicken. The heat of the sauce melds the flavors together, with the pesto providing a distinct basil aroma and the Parmesan adding depth. This dish can be served on its own or alongside simple sides like rice, pasta, or vegetables to balance the creamy sauce.
If the sauce requires thickening, a cornstarch slurry with heavy cream can be stirred in and cooked for another minute. The recipe estimates four servings and encourages adjusting portion sizes as needed. Fresh herbs like minced basil can be used as garnish along with additional black or red pepper flakes for spice.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast trimmed of excess fat
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter unsalted
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 1/3 cup chicken broth reduced sodium
- 1 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 - 4 Tbsp basil pesto prepared
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning dried
- 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated is best, grated
Garnishes
- red pepper flakes pinch
- black pepper pinch
- basil minced, fresh
Instructions
Prepare
- Add chicken breast to a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and carefully slice the chicken from right to left (if you’re a righty)… opening the chicken breast up like a book. Slice all the way through, so you now have 2 thinly sliced pieces of chicken. Repeat with other chicken breast.
Cook chicken
- Season chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Add flour to a shallow bowl or plate.
- Dredge chicken breasts in the flour, on both sides, then place on a plate.
- Heat a large skillet (I like to use cast iron or stainless steel) over MED HIGH heat. Once hot, add olive oil, then add flour-dredged chicken to skillet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. If your pan is less than 12 inches across, you may need to brown the chicken in batches.
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the chicken has a golden brown crust and is cooked through. Remove to a plate.
Make sauce
- Reduce skillet heat to MED, then add butter and melt. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Pour in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir well to combine. Simmer for several minutes, or until thickened just a bit.
- Add pesto, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, stirring well to combine. Simmer for another minute to make sure everything is warmed.
Finish
- Add chicken back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce and moving them around so the flour will help thicken the sauce.
- To serve: Spoon some of the sauce over the tops of the chicken, then sprinkle generously with black pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.
Notes
- This recipe serves about 4 but can be portioned differently based on appetite.
- If sauce is too thin, stir in a cornstarch and heavy cream slurry and cook until thickened.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese improves sauce texture and flavor but pre-grated is acceptable.
- Refer to the original post for substitution options and answers to common questions.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 494 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 494kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 46g | 71% |
| Saturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 106mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 589mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 196mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1556IU | 31% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 160mg | 16% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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