I love using pesto in recipes because it adds tons of flavor in one fell swoop, which is super important when it comes to busy weeknights. This Creamy pesto Chicken is absolutely stunning on the plate, yet it’s super fast and easy. This is another one of those great “date night” dinners for when you want to impress someone, but you’re nervous so you also need something easy and fool-proof. 😅
What Kind of Pesto to Use
The beauty of this dish is that you can use just about any type of pesto. I used a basil pesto this time around, but a red pesto would also be awesome. Pesto can be on the pricey side, but there are several brands that are a bit more affordable. Look for Alessi, Barilla, Classico, or Filippo Berio.
What Else Can I Add?
This deliciously creamy pesto sauce pairs well with several different ingredients, if you want to take this dish up a notch. Try adding spinach, artichokes, or broccoli for some extra veggies. Or if you want to make this dish extra indulgent, add some grated Parmesan on top, too. I probably also wouldn’t be against adding bacon. 😏
What to Serve with Creamy Pesto Chicken
This chicken has a super lush and creamy sauce and you won’t want to waste a single drop, so make sure to serve this chicken with pasta, rice, or garlic bread to soak it all up. You can spoon the chicken and sauce over a bed of pasta or rice, or serve the chicken and sauce in a bowl with some crusty bread for dipping.
Because the sauce is so rich, you’ll definitely want to serve up something light and fresh on the side, so this is the perfect opportunity to make a simple side salad.
Creamy Pesto Chicken
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1.3 lb. total) ($6.59)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1/8 tsp pepper ($0.01)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half ($2.00)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream ($0.62)
- 1/4 cup pesto ($0.99)
Instructions
- Fillet the chicken breasts into two thinner pieces (or pound the chicken to an even thickness then cut each breast in half to create four portions). Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes total). Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the minced garlic and halved grape tomatoes. Sauté for about five minutes, or until the tomatoes start to soften and lose their shape.
- Add the heavy cream and pesto to the skillet with the tomatoes and stir to combine. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet with the tomatoes and sauce, turning to coat the chicken. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for just a few minutes more to heat through. Serve hot.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!If you love creamy chicken recipes, try out our Creamy Garlic Chicken recipe next!
How to Make Creamy Pesto Chicken – Step by Step Photos
Fillet two boneless, skinless chicken breasts into two thinner pieces (or you can pound the chicken to an even thickness and then cut each piece in half horizontally to make four portions). Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken breast and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (7-10 minutes total). Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil, 1 pint of grape tomatoes (halved) and 2 cloves of garlic (minced). Sauté the tomatoes and garlic in the skillet for a few minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to soften and lose their shape.
Add ¼ cup pesto and ½ cup heavy cream to the skillet. Stir to combine. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Taste the sauce and add salt or pepper if needed.
Add the chicken back to the skillet and coat it in the sauce. Simmer the chicken in the sauce for a few more minutes or until heated through.
This sauce is so creamy and delicious, you’ll want to lick your plate!
This recipe hits it out of the park! I served it with asparagus and French bread. Everyone gobbled it up. So simple to make, yet so delicious.
Love this creamy pesto chicken recipe.
Perfect for tomorrow night. Looks amazing and is not too complicated to prepare. Thanks.
I made this tonight. Since my tomatoes were super tiny, I didn’t spend time pre-slicing them,. When they softened I smooshed them a little to break them down. I also sliced the chicken into strips before re-adding it back to the sauce. Served over mushroom ravioli, and it was just wonderful! This will help me make better use of those ravioli packs from Trader Joe’s.
A new family fave thank you!
I added a lot more garlic, doubled the pesto & used half & half because i didn’t have cream. I also topped it off with fresh grated parmesan cheese!
I think broccoli, mushrooms, black olives and onions would be fabulous mixed in!
We made this tonight and it was incredible. I am terrible at filleting though so in the future I think I will use chicken tenders instead. We used a Rosso pesto from Aldi that is marked gluten free.
SO delicious and easy! Will add more veggies next time, but perfect as is.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was easily one of the best dinners we’ve had in a while. We all loved it and my husband asked me to make it again soon. I made it as written. So simple, so good!
Delicious and easy! What more could you ask for? Thanks Beth!
Made this last night!!! Huge hit and super easy weeknight meal! Definitely going into the rotation.
Do you think I could use sour creme as a replacement for the dairy? Or maybe coconut milk, the canned kind?
It’s hard to say how it would turn out with either of those ingredients just by guessing. I’d really need to test them to see how much they affect the overall flavor and texture of the sauce. Canned coconut milk would probably be the closest, but it’s hard to say for sure.
Dairy free option for the heavy cream?
Unfortunately, I haven’t tested any dairy-free options with this recipe, so I can’t make any recommendations at this time.
I made dairy free heavy cream the other day by using 1/3 cup of fairlife milk and 3 tbs butter. Heated it in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, and whisked the butter until it melted. Worked perfectly. My husband is lactose intolerant so I’m always looking for substitutes.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Easy weeknight meal served with salad and pasta. Every time I make a BudgetBytes meal, my husband calls it “Restaurant Quality” and asks to add it to our regular rotation. Thank you!
Wondering if I could sub Sun dried tomatoes instead…can’t wait to try this yumminess!
I am wondering the same thing!!
How could this be ‘lightened up’ if you didn’t want to use heavy cream? The recipe looks delicious, but I’ve got to watch my fat intake.
The cream is pretty important for creating the right texture in the sauce. I fear anything else would be too thin and the combination of acid from the tomatoes and the heat can cause milk to curdle (heavy cream is resistant to that).
I used reduced fat cream cheese (1T instead of 2). I also cooked the chicken and tomatoes in a nonstick pan with a little water and cooking spray instead of olive oil. Usually I’m a fan of fat, but I have to follow a specific diet right now. This would be good with fish, too. Thank you for another winning recipe.
Jeanie what I plan to do is use fat free half and half in place of the heavy cream. I use this in place of heavy cream all the time in my recipes.
Looks so delicious I may prepare it yet this evening. If serving with pasta, is it recommended to double the sauce?
I served it over pasta as-is. :)