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–+ servings
Close-up of juicy chicken breasts cooked in a creamy pesto sauce in a black skillet.

One-Pan Creamy Pesto Chicken

This recipe makes creamy pesto chicken in one pan for a quick and easy meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 6 ounces each
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Creamy Pesto Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Equipment

  • Large skillet

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Stir in the basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Let simmer for another 1-2 minutes to heat the chicken through.
  8. Serve the chicken immediately with the creamy pesto sauce.

Notes

You can serve this with pasta, rice, or a side salad. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

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