Creamy Pesto Marry Me Chicken (Print Version)
Tender chicken in a creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, ready in just 40 minutes.
# What You'll 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
→ 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 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the 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 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.
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 to deglaze the pan and scrape up 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 - Place the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over each piece to coat evenly.
07 - Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.
08 - Transfer the chicken to serving plates and spoon the sauce generously over each breast. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pesto swirl takes the original concept somewhere richer and more complex without adding any real effort.
- It looks like you spent hours at the stove, but the whole thing comes together in under forty minutes on a Tuesday night.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and cream create a sauce so good you will catch yourself eating it straight from the pan with a spoon.
02 -
- If the sauce looks broken or greasy when you add the cream, take the pan completely off the heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together.
- Chicken breasts vary wildly in thickness, so pounding them to an even half inch is the single thing that separates dry disappointing results from juicy perfection.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest for two minutes on the plate before returning it to the sauce, because the residual heat continues cooking it and the juices redistribute instead of running out.
- Reserve a quarter cup of pasta water before draining, then drizzle it into the sauce if it tightens up too much while simmering, because the starch emulsifies everything into silky perfection.