Description
Creamy Skillet Pesto Chicken is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender boneless chicken breasts coated in a fragrant basil pesto cream sauce with parmesan cheese. This easy-to-make dinner is ready in under 30 minutes and garnished with fresh herbs for a delicious, comforting 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
Garnish
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare 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 until it is an even thickness. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Coat 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.
- Cook chicken: Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 8 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
- Make pesto cream sauce: Using the same skillet, add the basil pesto and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warmed through and starts to bubble. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and finish: Return the cooked chicken breasts along with any accumulated juices from the plate back to the skillet. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken and cook until the cheese melts into the sauce, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped basil or parsley over the top for garnish. Serve the creamy skillet pesto chicken warm.
Notes
- This recipe is quick and perfect for a dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a lower-fat cream option.
- Use gluten-free flour to make this recipe gluten free if needed.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like basil or parsley to enhance the flavor and presentation.
- Make sure to pound the chicken evenly for even cooking and tenderness.
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
