Creamy Pesto Chicken
This creamy pesto chicken is an easy, restaurant-quality dinner made with juicy chicken breasts simmered in a rich basil pesto cream sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes, this comforting chicken recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or serving with pasta, rice, or low-carb sides.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
- Flavor Base
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Pantry Staples
- 1 –2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Salt to taste
- Optional
- Red pepper flakes for heat
- Sun-dried tomatoes or spinach optional add-ins
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken
- Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Lightly pound thicker pieces for even cooking.
- Sear the Chicken
- Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream, stirring and scraping up browned bits.
- Add pesto and Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Finish the Dish
- Return chicken to the skillet.
- Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes until chicken is coated and sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and rest for 2–3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep heat low once cream is added to prevent separation.
- Start with less pesto and add more to taste—it’s very concentrated.
- Sauce thickens more as it rests.