Creamy Pesto Marry Me Chicken (Printable version)
Juicy chicken in a rich, creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan — an irresistible Italian-American dinner.
# What you need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ For Searing
05 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ Creamy Pesto Sauce
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
10 - 1/3 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
11 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving
# How To:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring well to deglaze the pan and lift any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Stir in the basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon sauce over each piece to coat evenly. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you sear the chicken in, which means every crispy golden bit gets folded back into something luxurious.
- It tastes like you spent hours at the stove, but the whole thing wraps up in under 45 minutes from fridge to table.
- That combination of pesto and sun dried tomatoes is the kind of flavor pairing that makes you wonder why you ever made chicken without them.
02 -
- Do not skip searing the chicken before making the sauce because those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan are where half the flavor lives.
- If your sauce seems too thick after simmering, splash in a little extra chicken broth to loosen it up rather than more cream which can make it heavy.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest for five minutes after it comes out of the skillet the final time so the juices redistribute and every slice is tender rather than dry.
- A squeeze of lemon juice right at the end brightens the whole dish and cuts through the richness in a way that makes people wonder what your secret is.