Pesto Chicken Recipe (One Pan, 25 Minutes)

Name: The 25-Minute Skillet Chicken You’ll Make on Repeat
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 chicken breast cutlets (5 to 6 ounces each); 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup); 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 1/3 cup prepared basil pesto; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish, optional; 1 lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1 tablespoon juice

This quick and easy chicken recipe is bursting with vibrant, herbaceous flavor. Store-bought pesto brings a rich basil and garlic flavor to a simple creamy sauce that enrobes tender chicken breast cutlets.

The best part? You can have this crowd-pleasing main dish on the table in under 30 minutes, and you only need to dirty a single skillet.

A plate with a chicken breast covered in pesto sauce next to a skillet containing more chicken in sauce garnished with basil leaves — Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong

How To Make Pesto Chicken

After seasoning chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, you’ll brown them on both sides in a skillet, then let them rest on a plate while you prepare the sauce. For the creamy pesto sauce, cook onions and garlic in the same skillet you used to brown the chicken. Then, pour in heavy cream and simmer it for just a few minutes until thickened.

Add the chicken back to the pan just long enough to finish cooking it all the way through. After taking the pan off the heat, stir in the pesto, parmesan, and lemon zest and juice. The sauce will continue to thicken once the parmesan and pesto are added, so you don’t want your cream mixture to be too thick beforehand. If the finished sauce is a little thicker than you’d like, simply loosen it with a splash of water.

Which Store-Bought Pesto To Buy

My preferred brand of store-bought pesto is Gotham Greens. It has a vibrant green color, tastes very fresh, and is as delicious as homemade pesto. For a more affordable refrigerated option, look for Buitoni. Shelf-stable pesto is perfectly fine, but the flavors and color aren’t as vibrant as refrigerated pesto. However, if that’s the best option for you, I recommend Rao’s or Alessi.

Of course, you can always make your own pesto if you have a lot of basil to use or are just extra motivated.

Four cooked chicken fillets in a skillet covered with green pesto sauce and garnished with basil leaves — Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong

How To Make Chicken Cutlets

If you can’t find prepared chicken cutlets at the grocery store or a butcher who will prepare them for you, you can make them yourself. Start with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Place a chicken breast on a cutting board and gently press down on it with your palm. Slice it in half horizontally with a sharp knife. It’s easier to start at the thicker end and slice towards the thinner end of the breast.

What To Serve With Pesto Chicken

This dish is practically made to be spooned over pasta. Use long noodles like angel hair, spaghetti, or bucatini to catch all of that wonderful pesto sauce. If served with pasta, all you need to make it a complete meal is a simple side salad.

Otherwise, serve the chicken with crusty bread and roasted vegetables. Zucchini, broccoli, or green beans would all go well with the herby chicken.

Chicken breast with pesto sauce on a plate alongside a skillet — Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong

Pesto Chicken Variations

Use a different protein: Substitute the chicken with another protein, like shrimp or salmon. Sauté shrimp until fully cooked, remove them from the pan, make the sauce, and then stir the shrimp back into the sauce along with the pesto and lemon juice. Salmon fillets can be treated like the chicken cutlets.
Add tomatoes: Add cherry tomatoes or sundried tomatoes along with the onion.
Use a different kind of pesto: Swap basil pesto for sundried tomato pesto.
Add spice: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes along with the garlic.

Pesto Chicken

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings 4 servings

This recipe was developed by Giovanna Vazquez.

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4 chicken breast cutlets (5 to 6 ounces each)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish, optional
1 lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1 tablespoon juice

Brown the chicken:

Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken in an even layer and cook, turning once halfway through, until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of the chicken registers 155°F, 6 to 8 minutes.

Place the chicken on a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside. Do not wipe the skillet clean.
Make the sauce:

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cream, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Bring to a simmer over medium, and cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Finish cooking the chicken:

Return the cutlets to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is heated and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto, parmesan, basil (if using), lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Garnish with basil and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat. You will likely need to add a little water or more cream to thin the sauce, as it will thicken as it cools.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
492	Calories
30g	Fat
8g	Carbs
45g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	492
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g	39%
Saturated Fat 14g	70%
Cholesterol 164mg	55%
Sodium 820mg	36%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 5mg	23%
Calcium 180mg	14%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 556mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.