Creamy Pesto Chicken with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

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This Creamy Pesto Chicken is pan fried to get the skin all nice and crispy, then simmered in a sweet and tangy, creamy sun dried tomato pesto sauce. These are perfect for a quick, easy, flavor packed weeknight dinner!

This recipe was originally published in March 2017. It has been updated for photos and content. Scroll down below the recipe to check out the old photo for a good laugh!

Deliciously crispy skin with a perfectly juicy interior, swimming in a creamy pesto sauce....tell me you're not drooling yet??? It's a rival to this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken...we don't know which is better!

Whole cloves of garlic roasted together with the chicken just take this dish to the next level. It's an ultra comforting dish that is also perfect as an easy weeknight meal, as it only takes a few minutes to throw together! 

And served over pasta with a nice loaf of crusty bread or with this pesto challah bread, this dish can go a long way. or you can serve it as an entrée after you've had this amazing black truffle risotto if you're going the dinner party route!

Ingredients

Instead of traditional pesto using basil, I use sun dried tomatoes in this recipe. Because sun dried tomatoes are AWESOME. You can buy them HERE (affiliate link) or learn how to make your own in this Sun Dried Tomato Recipe.

I use chicken thighs for this recipe, but it would work with any kind of chicken, or even pork.

Lots of garlic, olive oil, cream and Parmesan cheese make this dish just droolworthy.

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Place the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crispy.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Turn the heat to medium high and add the pesto and garlic cloves and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Add the broth and bring to a simmer.

Then add the cream and thyme and bring back up to a simmer.

Add chicken and place the skillet directly in the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F. 

Remove and serve garnished with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.

How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

To make the pesto, blend the sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, 3 garlic cloves and olive oil in a food processor or blender and set aside.

Serving Options

• You may just want to start your meal with this incredible gooey Baked Brie or these Corn Fritters;
• Serve it over any kind of pasta;
• Serve it with crusty French Bread (make your own or just buy it) or with these air fryer biscuits;
• It would go great over rice or these Cheesy Grits;
• Serve it with a side of Roasted Parmesan Asparagus or these Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with bacon;
• This light and airy Lemon Souffle is the perfect thing to top it off!

Expert Tips

1. Starting the chicken in a cold skillet allows the fat in the skin to slowly render as the temperature rises, which helps to get that nice browned crispy skin.
2. I like to leave the rendered chicken fat in the skillet when I add the pesto and tomatoes as it adds richness, but feel free to drain the excess if your prefer.
3. Add 1-2 chopped fresh tomatoes to the sauce for a chunkier sauce. Add them in with the broth.
4. If the pesto is too thick, add additional olive oil until it thins. Note that it should be slightly thick - it should not be pour-able. 

What Else Can I use Pesto For?

This pesto is so incredible and you can seriously use it on so many things - try some of these ideas:

• Mix it with a little extra olive oil and use it as a pasta sauce for fettuccine, penne, ravioli or tortellini;
• Use it as a spread on a burger (try these Bison Burgers) or any kind of sandwich;
• Use it as a pizza sauce;
• Mix a tablespoon or two in with your sauteed veggies;
• Mix it with yogurt, cream cheese, or sour cream to make a dip;
• Add some vinegar and olive oil to thin it out and use it as a salad dressing;
• Marinade some shrimp or fish in it, then grill or saute it;
• Add it to soup for an extra boost of flavor.

Reader's Favorite Chicken Recipes

Here are some of the most popular chicken recipes on the site!

• Chicken Katsu Curry;
• Grapefruit Chicken;
• Vietnamese Chicken (this is one of my personal favorite chicken recipes);
• Instant Pot Chicken Paprika;
• Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken;
• Instant Pot Coq Au Vin;
• Browse all the Chicken Recipes.

Did you make this recipe? Leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out!

Just wow...