Creamy Pesto Marry Me Chicken (Printable)
Juicy chicken in rich creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
→ For Searing
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ 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 grated Parmesan cheese
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside; they do not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan and loosen any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Stir in basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Place the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, spooning sauce over each piece to coat evenly.
07 - Cover the skillet and simmer on low heat for 10–12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F) and the sauce has thickened.
08 - Transfer to plates and garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The pesto and sun dried tomato combination creates a sauce so velvety you will want to eat it straight from the pan with a spoon.
- It looks and tastes like something from a restaurant but comes together on a random Tuesday with almost zero fuss.
02 -
- Do not skip the step where you remove the chicken before building the sauce, because leaving it in prevents the fond from developing and your sauce will taste flat.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove when it looks slightly thinner than you want it.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest for five minutes after removing it from the pan so the juices redistribute and every bite stays tender.
- A squeeze of lemon juice stirred in right before serving brightens the whole dish and balances the richness in a way that will make people ask what your secret is.