Description
Creamy pesto chicken with roasted tomatoes brings comfort to your dinner table, blending rich basil sauce with juicy chicken and sweet roasted tomatoes. Weeknight meals never tasted so good when your family can savor this simple yet satisfying Italian-inspired dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 chicken breasts
Sauce and Cream:
- 1 cup pesto sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
Accompaniments and Seasonings:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Crank your oven to a sizzling 400F and grab a baking sheet for the cherry tomatoes.
- Scatter 1 cup of cherry tomatoes across the sheet, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over them. Sprinkle salt and pepper to enhance their natural flavor.
- Slide the tomato-laden sheet into the hot oven and roast for exactly 15-20 minutes until they’re softened and slightly blistered.
- While tomatoes roast, heat a skillet over medium flame and place 2 chicken breasts in the pan.
- Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, ensuring a golden-brown exterior and internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a plate, leaving delicious browned bits in the skillet.
- Pour 1 cup of pesto sauce and 1 cup of heavy cream into the same skillet, stirring to blend the pan drippings.
- Simmer the creamy pesto sauce for 2-3 minutes until it’s smoothly combined and slightly thickened.
- Return chicken to the skillet, gently coating each piece with the luxurious sauce.
- Plate your chicken and crown it with those roasted cherry tomatoes for a vibrant finish.
Notes
- Roasting tomatoes concentrates their sweetness, so don’t rush the process and let them caramelize slowly in the oven.
- Choose a high-quality pesto for the most vibrant flavor, and consider making your own if fresh basil is available.
- Pat chicken breasts dry before cooking to ensure a golden, crispy exterior that seals in moisture.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with Greek yogurt or coconut milk and use grilled chicken instead of pan-seared.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 941 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 85 g
- Saturated Fat: 29 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 51 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 175 mg