Creamy Pesto Chicken with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 867kcal

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.
Add cream and thyme and bring back 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 from the oven and serve with bread and/or pasta. Or see the notes below for some other ideas.

Blend the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add more olive oil if the mixture is too thick (it should be pretty thick, but mixable).

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.
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.
Add 1-2 chopped fresh tomatoes to the sauce for a chunkier sauce. Add them in with the broth.
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.