Description
Creamy Skillet Pesto Chicken is a quick and delicious dinner recipe featuring tender chicken breasts cooked to perfection and smothered in a rich, flavorful pesto cream sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it's perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
- Olive oil, for cooking (about 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and place 1-2 chicken breasts on it. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to an even thickness to ensure even cooking. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Coat the Chicken: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Dip each chicken breast in the flour mixture until fully coated on all sides.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a large drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the coated chicken breasts and cook for 8 minutes per side or until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside to keep warm.
- Make the Pesto Cream Sauce: In the same skillet, add the basil pesto and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and stir continuously until the sauce is warmed through and starts to bubble. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken along with any juices on the plate back into the skillet with the sauce. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is thickened slightly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped basil or parsley on top as a garnish. Serve the creamy skillet pesto chicken warm for a rich and satisfying meal.
Notes
- For extra flavor, use homemade basil pesto if available.
- If you prefer a lighter dish, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a light cream alternative but sauce will be less rich.
- You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts, but adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end for a fresh citrus note.
- Serve with crusty bread or over pasta to enjoy the creamy pesto sauce fully.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 breast
- Calories: 474 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1056 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 147 mg
