Creamy Pesto Chicken

Creamy Pesto Chicken is one of those quick, throw together meals made with ingredients I always keep on hand that looks much fancier than it really is.

This recipe is a natural extension of the fact that we often almost always have fresh basil pesto in our fridge in the summer time and it is just so good on everything. And, really, it just seems very natural to stir some heavy cream (which is also almost always in my fridge and is also good with everything) into the pesto. And then, of course, to put it over chicken!

Oh my, as I write this I’m getting hungry…and it is after 10 pm…and I have to admit I just at pie and ice cream! Not a good time for a chicken dinner, but such a great time to tell you about it.

Creamy pesto chicken…just try it!

So, I really wanted to get this post written tonight because we will be busy butchering our meat birds tomorrow. But I’m actually having trouble figuring out what to write about it. It is just really good and, well, there really isn’t much to say about this recipe, except TRY IT! Really!

It is so quick and easy and I just use whatever veggies are in my fridge so don’t get hung up on my exact ingredients. I really don’t cook like that and don’t expect others to either.

My cooking is pretty off-the-cuff and I think recipes (like quilting patterns and wool felt designs) are just meant as a spring board for my imagination. So take what you like and adjust the rest to suit your taste and the needs of your household. Or maybe adjust to whatever is ripe in your garden right now!

And this recipe is so versatile. Once you’ve made it you can dream up many other ways to use it. See my ideas down below on how to change it up.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into thin rounds
• 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin rings cut in half
• 4 or 5 cloves fermented garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tbsp avocado, coconut, or olive oil, divided
• 1 cup freshly made or store-bought pesto
• 1 cup homemade bone broth or chicken broth
• And 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 boxes Jovial Einkorn pasta
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Creamy Pesto Chicken Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a 12″ cast iron deep skillet on low 5 minutes
2. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to oil and stir
3. Put in chicken thighs and brown over med-low heat until done inside but still very moist. Remove from pan and hold under a cover to keep warm.
4. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and throw in peppers, onion, and zucchini and brown quickly on medium-high heat.
5. Add minced garlic right as the veggies are finished.
6. Stir together bone broth, basil pesto and heavy cream with salt and pour over veggies in the pan. Turn to low and warm gently.
7. Slice chicken in thin strips across the grain and toss into cream sauce and veggie mixture.
8. Stir, taste, adjust with salt and pepper if necessary and pour over pasta.
9. Top with shredded Romano cheese and serve immediately!

Creamy Pesto Chicken

Julie Michener

A quick, delicious throw-together dinner perfect for summer nights and fresh veggies!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 10

Equipment

• 12" cast iron deep skillet

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers sliced thin
• 1 medium zucchini cut into thin rounds
• 1/2 red onion cut into thin rings and then cut in half
• 4-5 cloves fermented garlic minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tbsp high heat cooking oil, coconut or avocado divided
• 1 cup freshly made or store-bought basil pesto
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought bone broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 12oz boxes Jovial Einkorn pasta
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a 12" cast iron deep skillet on low 5 minutes
• Put in chicken thighs and brown over med-low heat until done inside but still very moist. Remove from pan and hold under a cover to keep warm.
• Put in chicken thighs and brown over med-low heat until done inside but still very moist. Remove from pan and hold under a cover to keep warm.
• Add the rest of the oil to the pan and throw in peppers, onion, and zucchini and brown quickly on medium-high heat.
• Add minced garlic right as the veggies are finished.
• Stir together bone broth, basil pesto and heavy cream with salt and pour over veggies in the pan. Turn to low and warm gently.
• Slice chicken in thin strips across the grain and toss into cream sauce and veggie mixture.
• Stir, taste, adjust with salt and pepper if necessary and pour over pasta.
• Top with shredded Romano cheese and serve immediately!

Keyword basil pesto, chicken, pesto chicken, quick

Creamy Pesto Chicken Video

Creamy Pesto Chicken variations

• Use chicken breasts and serve the creamy pesto and veggies over noodles on the side instead
• Serve over rice, potatoes, or zucchini noodles instead of pasta
• Make the cream sauce thicker and just serve it over a pile of steamed veggies like broccoli, cauliflower
• Substitute salmon for the chicken
• Use purple pesto instead of green and serve over stir-fried chicken and veggies
• Pour the cooled cream sauce and fresh diced veggies over cooked diced potatoes for an awesome potato salad

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Shop for items in this recipe

Thank you for using my links! Affiliate income from these purchases does help me keep these posts coming!

I buy most of my natural and organic bulk food from Azure Standard in Oregon. It is an online family owned company that delivers to drop points in 48 states. I order once a month and pick up at a local drop point. It is much cheaper than the grocery store and the shopping is so convenient! And, I love their vision for whole, natural, sustainable food.

You can buy the chicken, Italian seasoning, peppers, zucchini, onion, oil, bone broth, sea salt, and einkorn pasta at Azure for this recipe. Or shop for other items using this link!

Thanks for joining me in the farmhouse!

I’m so glad you stopped to read this post and see what is happening at our farm these days. If you give this creamy pesto chicken a try, let me know how it turns out!

And, I’m hoping to get some good photos and video of the meat bird butchering tomorrow and will share a post soon. Nothing gory…just the facts ma’am. I know not everyone is into this….in fact, I’m not too ‘into’ butchering. So it will mostly be informative as to how we do it for those who want to try humanely raising and butchering their own chicken.

More related videos from the farmhouse!