Creamy Pesto Chicken

Even though we’re on summer break from school, the kids are still plenty busy, which means there’s a need for some quick and delicious dinner ideas.

And if you’re looking for a recipe to make on a busy weeknight, that is bursting with flavor, and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant… boy do I have the recipe for you. Creamy pesto chicken!

Tender and golden brown chicken breasts are smothered in an absolutely mouthwatering cream sauce that’s flavored with basil pesto and Parmesan cheese.

Plus, parts of it can be prepped ahead, leaving you with a meal you can get on the table really quickly!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Chicken breasts – I like to trim the excess fat off, and the breasts are sliced in half so they’re thinner.
• Spices – this is the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
• Flour – just regular all-purpose flour, no need for anything fancy.
• Olive oil – the combination of olive oil and butter means you don’t have to worry about the butter burning in the skillet while you cook the chicken.
• Butter – you can use unsalted or salted, whichever you keep on hand.
• Garlic – if you’d rather not use fresh cloves of garlic, the pre-minced garlic or squeeze tubes (like Gourmet Garden brand) will work just as well. I’d use about a tablespoon.
• Chicken broth – I prefer to use reduced sodium, so the end result isn’t too salty.
• Heavy cream – this may be labeled as heavy whipping cream in your grocery store.
• Pesto – basil pesto is what this recipe was developed with; either store-bought or homemade.
• Italian seasoning – this blend adds a little extra flavor to the sauce.
• Parmesan cheese – freshly grated cheese melts into the sauce more evenly.

How to make creamy pesto chicken?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Slice chicken. Slicing the chicken in half means you only have to use 2 chicken breasts to feed a family of 4, and they cook more evenly.
2. Dredge. Just give the seasoned chicken breasts a quick pat in the flour and shake off the excess.
3. Cook chicken. Depending on the size of the skillet you’re using, you may need to do this in batches. Overcrowding the pan leads to the chicken sort of steaming, rather than searing.
4. Cook garlic. This doesn’t take long, as you don’t want to burn the garlic.
5. Add chicken broth. Once you’ve poured it in, use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to scrape up those browned bits from cooking the chicken… those are pure flavor!
6. Add heavy cream. Then just simmer a minute or two, until slightly thickened.
7. Season sauce. Add the pesto, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine well.
8. Return chicken to skillet. Nestle them down into the sauce, then spoon a bit of the sauce over the top.

Variations of this recipe

• Thin sliced chicken breasts – to save yourself a bit of time, see if your grocery store carries thin sliced chicken breasts.  They usually come in packages of 4, and are the perfect thickness.
• Types of chicken – this recipe will also work well with other cuts of chicken, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Wine – for added depth of flavor, try adding 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the skillet after cooking the garlic. Let it cook until it’s reduced by about half, then proceed with the recipe.
• Pesto – we love to use our homemade basil pesto, but the recipe will work just as well with store-bought pesto. It will also work well with other kinds of pesto, such as a kale or sun-dried tomato pesto.
• Cheese – freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts into the sauce the best, but the pre-shredded or grated Parmesan in the cans will also work.
• Extra cheesy – who doesn’t love a bit of extra cheese? Sometimes I like to sprinkle the skillet with more Parmesan cheese and pop it under the broiler for a minute or so. You can also skip the broiler and just cover the skillet for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Making pesto chicken ahead of time

I find this recipe tastes best when made right before serving, but you can absolutely prep ahead, which cuts down on the time it takes to make this dinner.

How to prep ahead for this recipe:

• Chicken – the chicken can be sliced ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator a day or so.
• Spices – the spices can be combined and stored at room temperature.
• Garlic and cheese – the garlic can be minced, and the cheese can be grated, and both can be kept separately in the refrigerator.
• Pesto – if you’re making your own pesto, it can be kept refrigerated.

Freezing

Due to the creamy sauce, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Dairy has a tendency to separate and have an odd texture from the freezing and thawing process.

However, you can slice the chicken into thin cutlets and freeze them. That way, a lot of the prep work is already done for you!

Storage

Leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.