Skip to content
RecipesWhipped Up

Italian

Pesto Chicken with Tomatoes

Chicken sears, then a measured spoon of pesto and a handful of tomatoes finish the pan. It tastes like you made a sauce, and you mostly opened a jar with a little judgment.

Prep
8 min
Cook
16 min
Total
24 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Seared chicken with pesto and cherry tomatoes in a skillet.

Why you’ll love it

  • Pesto is measured so the dish is not a pool of oil.
  • Tomatoes loosen it.
  • Chicken hits 165°F.
  • Basil flavor without a long ingredient list.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

View list

Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

  2. 2

    Sear in the oil over medium-high until browned, about 5 minutes on the first side.

  3. 3

    Flip. Add the tomatoes around the chicken. Cook until the chicken is 165°F and some tomatoes soften, about 6 minutes.

  4. 4

    Move the chicken out. Stir the pesto, lemon juice, and water into the tomatoes. Simmer 1 minute.

  5. 5

    Spoon the tomatoes and pesto over the chicken.

  6. 6

    Taste. Pesto is salty, so you may not need more salt.

Pro tips

  • Jarred pesto varies. Start with 1/4 cup and add a spoon more only if the pan looks dry.
  • Thick chicken should be split so it cooks through without burning.
  • Lemon keeps the pesto from tasting flat.

Easy substitutions

Chicken breast
Thighs, cooked to 165°F.
Pesto
A homemade basil paste of basil, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil if you have it.
Cherry tomatoes
A cup of chopped ripe tomato.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm gently with a spoon of water so the pesto loosens.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
380
Protein
40 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
1 g

Moderate · Stovetop · Gluten-Free, High Protein

You might also like

Golden chicken cutlets in a lemon pepper butter sauce with parsley in a skillet.
Quick & Easy

Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken

Thin cutlets pick up a hard sear, then lemon, cracked pepper, and a little butter turn the pan juices into a sauce. Dinner is on the table before the evening gets away, and it does not rely on a cream sauce.

24 min · Easy

View recipe

Still hungry?

More in the same lane, not a random mix.

Find something else

Quick MealsBudget MealsHigh ProteinLunch

From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

Read the affiliate disclosure.

Ingredients