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My Creamy Pesto Chicken recipe is the perfect skillet dinner for busy weeknights that’s ready in just 30 minutes. It’s packed with the vibrant basil pesto flavor, and the creamy sauce will make your taste buds happy! Everyone will love this dish, including the kids, especially when you serve it with spaghetti.
Searching for a fast and flavorful dinner? This chicken dish is made with a creamy 4-ingredient sauce that’s so quick and easy to make as a weeknight meal for the family. By using prepared basil pesto, there’s minimal prep work. The only thing that needs to be prepared in advance is the chicken marinade, but it takes 2 minutes to pull together. A low carb meal that both kids and adults will love.
For extra flavor, I recommend the dish with fresh parmesan and more basil. It adds a pop of freshness to the dish. Serve it over rice like my stovetop white rice or pasta, like my creamy lemon pasta, or with a side salad for a complete meal.
Recipe Overview
Before you get started
Here are some tips to make this dish perfectly each time.
- Do not overcook the chicken to prevent it from drying or becoming rubbery.
- Almond milk can be replaced with any other milk.
- Use any oil of choice: any neutral oil or avocado oil works just as great.
Recipe summary
- Only one pan is needed. This delicious basil pesto chicken requires just one pan! That means clean-up is breezy.
- Creamy pesto sauce. With basil pesto sauce and an almond milk cream sauce base, you’re left with a delectable, creamy sauce to pour over not only the chicken but rice or quinoa, too.
- Great leftovers. This chicken tastes fantastic the next day when the flavors have had even more time to soak in.
- Easy prep. There are only a few steps to get this chicken skillet on your plate! Ready in 30 minutes!
Frequently asked questions
This creamy pesto chicken will last in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove when ready to serve. This recipe works well for those who meal prep.
Yes, you can freeze this pesto chicken for up to 3 months. Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove.
Chicken typically needs to marinate from 20 minutes to overnight. In the case of this pesto chicken, we recommend at least an hour but several hours is better. If you can, place the chicken in the marinade in the morning for dinner in the evening.
Yes. If you would like to use boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, you can. The Nutrition values will change.
Yes. This is a low-carb dish and perfect for those on a keto diet. You may use heavy cream as the base of the sauce. Then you can serve it with spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients you Will Need
These are the ingredients you will need to grab from the store. The full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless and skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer using boneless chicken thighs you can.
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- Basil pesto: you can use a homemade basil pesto or store-bought pesto. Check out my homemade Pesto Recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil: or avocado oil
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes: don’t have fresh tomatoes? Use sun-dried tomatoes. About 1/4 cup, chopped.
- Gluten-free flour: or any flour of your choice
- Garlic cloves: use fresh garlic and not garlic powder unless that’s all you have handy
- Almond milk: or 2% milk
- Freshly shaved parmesan or shredded mozzarella cheese, optional
- Fresh basil leaves or fresh parsley, optional
- Toasted pine nuts, optional to garnish
How to Make Pesto Chicken
- Place boneless, skinless chicken breast in a Ziploc bag. Add in 2 tablespoons basil pesto, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and gently move the breasts through the bag to get them all nicely coated.
- Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add marinated chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients until well combined.
- Pour this sauce over the chicken in the pan, and add the cherry tomatoes.
- Simmer for 5-6 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes burst.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired and enjoy!
Variations
→ Use a different protein: Don’t like chicken? Use shrimp, salmon, or cod.
→ Add more veggies: Consider adding in your favorite veggies like broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, or asparagus.
→ Make it spicy: Add in some cayenne pepper or sriracha to add a spicy kick to it.
What To serve with pesto chicken
This basil pesto chicken breast can be served over rice, quinoa, spaghetti squash, or pasta. For a lighter option, serve over cauliflower rice. You may also serve it with a side salad and steamed or roasted vegetables. Here are some side dish options to consider serving with this pesto chicken:
- Cilantro cauliflower rice
- How to cook rice on the stove
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Parmesan Oven-roasted asparagus
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Baked Parmesan Potato Wedges
Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto, or homemade
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto, or homemade
- 1 cup almond milk, or any other milk
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Optional to garnish:
- Freshly shaved parmesan, for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Place 1 pound chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag. Add in 2 tablespoons basil pesto, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Seal the bag and gently move the breasts through the bag to get them all nicely coated.
- Allow the chicken to marinated for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- After the chicken marinades and you are ready, in a small bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients until well combined. (1 tablespoon gluten-free flour, 2 garlic cloves -minced- 1 tablespoon basil pesto, 1 cup almond milk, and Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper)
- Heat the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add marinated chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Pour this sauce over the chicken into the pan, and add in the 2 cups cherry tomatoes.
- Simmer for 5-6 minutes over medium-low heat, until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes burst.
- Garnish with Freshly shaved parmesan and Fresh basil leaves if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- The serving size is one chicken breast
- Without marinating time, you need only 30 minutes to make this chicken recipe. You may marinate for a shorter time or marinate the night before.
- Do not overcook the chicken to prevent it from drying out
- You may use another protein, like shrimp or salmon
- Almond milk can be replaced with any other milk
- Use any oil of choice
- Consider adding in your favorite veggies like broccoli or asparagus
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- You may use boneless chicken thighs if you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chicken Recipes
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Creamy Coconut Chicken
- Easy Chicken Pad Thai
- Hibachi Chicken Bowls
- Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken Skillet
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This recipe is so tasty!!! I was only able to marinate the chicken for 30 minutes because I forgot about that part of the recipe and I needed to get dinner cooked. I made my own pesto with carrot and basil leaves from my garden and used my garden tomatoes. I can only imagine how wonderful the chicken would have been had it marinated at least an hour or overnight. We ate it with rice but I bet it would have been wonderful on pasta. Definitely will make this recipe again soon!
Just to be cautious, I added the flour first, separately, so it wouldn’t taste of flour, cooked it, then a minute later I added oat milk as I didn’t have almond and I must say absolutely delicious and I omitted the extra garlic as pesto has plenty
I’ll make it again
Delicious meal. I served with bulgar wheat and quinoa and added sugar snaps. Make extra sauce it’s worth it.
Any tips on how to get sauce to thicken?
you can use corn starch, or arrowroot powder
excellent…made with my homemade pesto!
Homemade Pesto is the best
Totally enjoyed this recipe. Tossed in some broccoli. Didn’t have cherry tomatoes so I tossed in a plum tomato cut into 6 pieces. Whole milk. All purpose flour. This one is a keeper! Thanks for sharing it, Rena.
Thanks for the feedback Mike. Glad you loved it
This recipe is amazingly delicious! I was making pesto from our fresh basil harvest several weeks back and looked for a recipe to use the pesto. I’m so glad I came across this recipe. Since that first time, I have made this four times over. It’s a big hit! I especially like the gluten-free sauce—we spoon it over pasta, too! Home run, Rena!
Thank you Lisa
Delicious! I used 2% evaporated milk and it came out just like the picture!
This is so delicious! Made it with orzo pasta. Came out so creamy and tender.
Sounds yummy with orzo
Delicious! I served this with Alfredo pasta 🙂
Great combo!
DELICIOUS! I will definitely make again. I also added asparagus with the tomatoes and used coconut milk since I did not have almond milk. Great and easy recipe. Thank you!
This recipe was excellent! As other reviewers mentioned, the chicken very moist. I was relieved that the pesto flavor was present, but not overpowering. My husband and I are saving this recipe to make it again.
Awesome. Glad you guys loved it
This is good! I finally found a pre-made pesto I like that I used in it. The brand was Rana pesto. Great & easy recipe! Oh and I used cream instead of almond milk as that’s what I had.
Sounds yummy.
Chicken stayed nice and moist. I used a combination of coconut milk and regular milk since I didn’t have enough coconut milk left. I also added asparagus and made some GF pasta with olive oil and garlic. The kids don’t like tomatoes cooked this way, but that’s ok, more for me and my husband. I thought the tomatoes added good flavor. I will make this again.
Glad you loved it.
Made this the other night the wife loved it, I made double the sauce and used one cp. each cherry and sun dried tomatoes I will be making the again thanks.
Thank you Teddy
Chicken had amazing flavour and was moist and tender. We served it with Spud lite potato mash and steamed Broccolini.
Perfect. Glad you loved it.
Foul. Vile. Disgusting. Putrid.
Take your pick.
Remove almond milk for milk. Almond milk has a natural sugar that thickens and utterly ruins the savory taste of this dish. How anyone could think that combining sickly candy-like sweetness with the savory taste of pesto needs to give their head a shake.
Hi J. So sorry this didn’t work for you.. Did you use unsweetened almond milk? Almond milk is an option and can be replaced with 2% or skim milk.
Apparently tastebuds are unique to each person because I made this recipe last night and thought it was fantastic!
In any event, J, maybe a therapy website would be a more appropriate place to showcase your mean-spirited comments meant to hurt someone. That way you can get help to process your internal anger rather than take it out publicly on another, making only yourself look like an a$$hole.
Yea. Unsweetened almond milk is the way to go. Several people have made this recipe and it’s come out delicious. So…maybe you’re the one with the problem.