Creamy Pesto Chicken with Vegetables
One-pan chicken pesto and vegetables makes the perfect weeknight meal in 20 minutes! I recommend homemade pesto for this recipe, but you can totally use store-bought pesto for a shortcut if you need to.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets (see note for standard chicken breasts)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 cup (about 5 ounces) grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Toasted pine nuts, for garnish (optional)
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sear the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In large cast iron skillet, heat a glug of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and set aside for now.
- Saute the veggies. If needed, add a little bit more olive oil to the skillet. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the veggies have softened, 6 to 7 minutes or so.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix together the pesto and cream. Add the chicken back to the skillet and pour the pesto mixture in. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is warmed through, about one minute.
- Finish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat and finish with the lemon zest and half of the juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper if necessary. Garnish with the pine nuts (if using) and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- To toast the pine nuts: Swirl in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye and the heat low, as pine nuts burn easily.
- If you’re working with standard chicken breasts: Use a sharp knife to slice them in half lengthwise, making two thinner pieces (aka cutlets). Watch the video to see how I do this.
- To serve with your favorite pasta, feel free to double or triple the amount of basil pesto and cream mixture to make a bit more sauce for your pasta.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a tight-lid container for 2 nights or so. You can warm it up stove-top over medium-low heat briefly (you may need to add a little liquid to help it).
Nutrition
Calories: 249.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.1g | Protein: 26.2g | Fat: 12.8g | Saturated Fat: 4.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 88.6mg | Sodium: 263.4mg | Potassium: 656.3mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 3.9g | Vitamin A: 1390.7IU | Vitamin C: 46.3mg | Calcium: 51.4mg | Iron: 0.9mg
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