Description
Creamy Skillet Pesto Chicken is a quick and flavorful dinner option featuring tender chicken breasts cooked to perfection in a rich basil pesto cream sauce with Parmesan cheese. This dish comes together in under 30 minutes and makes a luscious, comforting meal perfect for weeknights.
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 for garnish (optional)
- Olive oil for cooking
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 and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to an even thickness. 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 coated evenly on all sides.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the coated chicken breasts and cook for 8 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 8 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, add the basil pesto and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat 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 and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese over the chicken and cook for a few minutes until the cheese melts into the creamy sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped basil or parsley over the chicken for garnish and serve warm immediately.
Notes
- This recipe can be prepared in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Use store-bought basil pesto for convenience or homemade if preferred.
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a cream alternative.
- Fresh herbs like basil or parsley add a bright fresh flavor when sprinkled before serving.
- If chicken breasts are very thick, pound them evenly to ensure even cooking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated.
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
