Description
Hearty creamy garlic pesto chicken delights palates with Italian-inspired comfort. Rich pasta combines tender chicken and herbal pesto sauce, promising a satisfying meal you’ll savor with enthusiasm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced into strips)
- 2 tbsps olive oil (divided)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (preserved in oil, drained and finely chopped)
- 2 small bell peppers (any color, sliced into thin, long strips)
- 1 small yellow onion (finely diced)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tbsps basil pesto
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Fresh basil (chopped, for garnishing)
- Parmesan cheese (grated, for garnishing)
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat to prepare for cooking chicken.
- Sprinkle chicken strips with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook thoroughly for 7-8 minutes until no pink remains, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Whisk heavy cream, chicken broth, and basil pesto in a mixing bowl until smoothly combined, creating a creamy sauce base.
- Reintroduce skillet to medium-high heat, adding another drizzle of olive oil. Sauté diced onions until translucent, approximately 2 minutes.
- Quickly incorporate minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring rapidly to prevent burning and release aromatic flavors, about 30 seconds.
- Toss sliced bell peppers into the skillet, cooking until tender and slightly softened, roughly 4 minutes.
- Gently pour prepared pesto cream sauce into the vegetable mixture, allowing it to simmer and thicken while developing rich, layered flavors.
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet, nestling pieces into the sauce and heating for an additional 2 minutes to marry all ingredients.
- Finish the dish by sprinkling freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil over the top. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
Notes
- Ensure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F to prevent foodborne illness and maintain juicy, tender meat.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting black pepper or adding red pepper flakes for those who enjoy spicier dishes.
- Low-carb adaptation works perfectly by serving over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta.
- For dairy-free versions, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 315 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg