This Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken is a delicious recipe and the perfect quick dinner. The tender chicken paired with the creamy pesto sauce creates an amazing meal in a short amount of time. It tastes just like what you’d order from your favorite Italian restaurant!
The fun part about this simple weeknight dinner is that you get to make your own sundried tomato pesto. Pairing that flavor with the cooked chicken will have your taste buds doing a happy dance.
I’m a huge fan of the flavor that sun-dried tomatoes add, and this is why I typically keep them on hand in my house all the time. In my opinion, homemade pesto has so much more flavor than anything you’ll buy at the grocery store.
The fact that you can create this entire dish and have it ready to cook in just a couple of minutes is what makes this an easy recipe. You really don’t even need to stress about side dishes with this chicken recipe because it has an awesome flavor profile, just like it is.
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This was inspired by my Keto Pesto Chicken Casserole and pairs well with these Keto Cheddar Biscuits.
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Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – They’re a great option because the mild flavor lets the pesto shine through.
Fresh garlic – Using fresh garlic adds such a pop of flavor.
Salt and black pepper – For taste.
White wine – This is used to deglaze the pan and get those brown bits of deliciousness off the bottom of the skillet.
Heavy cream – Helps to create a creamy sauce to pour over the top of the chicken.
Sun dried tomato pesto – You can buy this in many grocery stores but it only takes a minute to make your own.
Mozzarella cheese – We like to use mozzarella but you can also use any type of cheese that you want.
Sun dried tomatoes – Used as the main ingredient in the pesto sauce.
Parmesan cheese – For flavor.
Olive oil – To thin out the pesto.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken
Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
Step One: Make the sundried tomato pesto.
Step Two: Add the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until smooth. It will be a bit chunky.
Step Three: Season the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper.
Step Four: Drizzle olive oil into the hot skillet and add the chicken and garlic. Brown the chicken on both sides and then put the chicken into a large baking dish.
Step Five: Use the white wine and deglaze the pan. You can leave the garlic in the pan when you transfer the chicken.
Step Six: Add the cream and pesto. You can season the sauce to taste at this point.
Step Seven: Mix well.
Step Eight: Next, pour that mixture over the top of the chicken in the dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese.
Step Nine: Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. You want to melt the cheese and finish cooking the chicken.
Step Ten: Make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 degrees (use a meat thermometer) and that the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
Top Tip💡
Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. The last thing you are going to want to do is overcook it. Trust me on this! It will get dried out. Instead, check the temperature until it reaches 158 degrees then you can pull it out of the oven. It will continue rising to reach 160.
Variations
- Toppings – Adding a little bit of your favorite toppings is never a bad idea. Top with fresh basil, crushed pine nuts, red pepper flakes, grated Parmesan cheese, or even squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon juice on the top for a pop of citrus flavor.
- Spicy – I don’t make my tomato pesto sauce spicy, but you can if you want. Adding the secret ingredient of cayenne pepper will kick up the heat.
- Pasta – If you want to turn this dish into a chicken pesto pasta dish, you can simply cook your favorite type of pasta, add that to a bowl, and then top it with the cooked chicken and sauce. For keto pasta, I like hearts of palm noodles.
See this Sun Dried Tomato Quiche for another tasty dish!
Equipment
For this dish, you’ll want to have a large skillet, casserole dish or baking pan, and measuring cups.
A food processor is also a great addition to help make the pesto sauce in just a couple of minutes.
Storage
This Chicken pesto recipe is perfect for leftovers. Let the dish cool down to room temperature, and then add anything remaining to an airtight container. Keep it chilled in the fridge, and eat within 2-3 days of storage. The flavors improve with time.
To reheat, simply warm it up in the microwave or low and slow in the oven. Make sure that the chicken is fully warmed and reheated thoroughly.
Common Questions
Absolutely. You can use other chicken pieces; just be sure not to add pieces that contain bones. Also, buying and using an already-cooked rotisserie chicken is a great way to save time!
Great recipes like this offer flexibility for side dish options! You can serve it with a toasted slice of bread or keep it light and simple and pair it with a side salad. The options are endless!
Diced bell peppers and onions are always welcome in dishes like this. You can also add steamed veggies as a simple side dish if you want to leave this recipe exactly as it was written.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken
This Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken recipe is delicious and the perfect quick dinner. Tender chicken with the creamy pesto sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts about 1.5 lb, sliced in half widthwise and lengthwise to make 8 pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 oz white wine
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon sun dried tomato pesto
- 4 oz mozzarella thinly sliced or shredded
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat a large skillet to medium. Preheat the oven to 400.
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Season chicken with salt and pepper.
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Drizzle oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer to a large baking dish.
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Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the pesto and cream. Mix well.
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Pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Top with mozzarella.
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Bake for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is 160 degrees and the cheese is golden and bubbly. You can broil it for a few minutes at the end to brown the cheese if you want.
Notes
Pesto – Feel free to sub in any flavor pesto for the tomato pesto in this recipe.
Cheese – You can also use any type of cheese. Using a milder flavored cheese helps the flavor of the pesto to star in this dish.
Prep – Chicken tenderloins save the step of cutting the chicken in half. Using store bought pesto can also save time if you don’t have homemade on hand.
Nutrition
Calories: 459.3Carbohydrates: 11.9gProtein: 35.8gFat: 29.6gSaturated Fat: 13.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 131.9mgSodium: 826.3mgPotassium: 958.8mgFiber: 2.1gSugar: 7.3gVitamin A: 884.7IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 272.6mgIron: 2.1mg