Marry Me Chicken Pesto (Printer-friendly)

Juicy chicken in a rich, creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan — ready in just 40 minutes.

# What You 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

→ Creamy Pesto 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 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 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown. They do not need to be fully cooked through 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 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring well to deglaze the pan and lift any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Stir in the basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese, mixing until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Place the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet. Spoon sauce over each piece to coat evenly.
07 - Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F) and the sauce has thickened.
08 - Transfer the chicken to plates and ladle the sauce generously over each portion. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately alongside pasta, mashed potatoes, or sautéed greens.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one pan, so every bit of flavor from searing the chicken gets folded right back into the cream.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a cozy Italian restaurant, but the whole thing is done in under forty minutes.
  • Pesto and sun-dried tomatoes are a pairing I now keep stocked at all times because of this recipe.
02 -
  • Do not skip patting the chicken dry before seasoning, because moisture is the enemy of a good sear and you will end up steaming instead of browning.
  • If the sauce seems too thick at the end, a splash of chicken broth loosens it right up without diluting the flavor.
03 -
  • Let the sauce rest for two minutes off the heat before serving, because it thickens beautifully as it cools slightly and clings to the chicken much better.
  • Use the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes instead of olive oil for searing, and you will add an extra layer of concentrated tomato flavor to the entire dish.

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