Creamy red pesto chicken, a quick and easy dinner recipe that you can have on the table in just 30 minutes. Using many store cupboard essentials, it’s a relatively cheap meal to prepare midweek for the family and all prepared in one pan for minimal washing up.
The flavours of red pesto, cream, tomatoes and herbs come together to make an absolutely delicious sauce for your chicken. Fresh basil tops off this recipe perfectly whilst leaving the tomatoes whole gives a little pop of flavour as they burst in your mouth.
How to make creamy red pesto chicken
Ingredients you’ll need:
Chicken seasoning:
- Half tsp mild chilli powder
- Half tsp salt
- Quarter tsp black pepper
The rest:
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into large bite sized pieces
- 1tbsp cooking oil (we like rapeseed oil)
- 1 whole white/brown onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3tbsp sun-dried tomato red pesto (we used a jar of pre-made ‘Sacla’ pesto)
- 300g cherry tomatoes
- 200ml chicken stock
- 100ml double cream
- 2tsp dried oregano
- Half tsp dried thyme
- Quarter tsp salt
- Handful fresh basil leaves
Method:
- Start by seasoning your diced chicken with the chilli powder, salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan and allow it to get to medium heat, then add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, browning all sides but it won’t be cooked through yet. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and start to soften.
- Now it’s time to make the sauce, add the pesto, chicken stock, cream, oregano and thyme to the pan and still well to combine. Return your chicken to the pan together with the cherry tomatoes and stir through the sauce.
- Allow the chicken and sauce to cook on medium/low for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (you can use a thermometer to check it’s at 74C if you like). Whilst it’s cooking, check your sauce for seasoning, I added an additional quarter tsp of salt.
- Stir through or top with fresh basil to serve.
Serve with a side of your choice, we like this with rice, pasta or a fresh baguette!
You might like some of our other creamy chicken recipes:
Creamy Chicken and Leek Pie – an easy pie with chicken thighs, leeks, crème fraîche and mustard topped with a pre-made buttery pastry.
Creamy Garlic Chicken – a one pan garlic lovers dish, simple but delicious!
Creamy Red Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken seasoning
- Half tsp mild chilli powder
- Half tsp salt
- Quarter tsp black pepper
The rest
- 3 whole chicken breasts chopped to large bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or cooking oil of your choice
- 1 whole white/brown onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp sun-dried tomato red pesto we used 'Sacla' jarred pesto
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 200 ml chicken stock
- 100 ml double cream
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Half tsp dried thyme
- Quarter tsp salt
- Handful fresh basil
Instructions
- Start by seasoning your diced chicken with the chilli powder, salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan and allow it to get to medium heat, then add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, browning all sides but it won't be cooked through yet. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and start to soften.
- Now it's time to make the sauce, add the pesto, chicken stock, cream, oregano and thyme to the pan and still well to combine. Return your chicken to the pan together with the cherry tomatoes and stir through the sauce.
- Allow the chicken and sauce to cook on medium/low for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (you can use a thermometer to check it's at 74C if you like). Whilst it's cooking, check your sauce for seasoning, I added an additional quarter tsp of salt.
- Stir through or top with fresh basil to serve.
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