Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe Is Almost Too Good to Be True (3 Ingredients, 20 Minutes) by Donna John
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"Green spaghetti" is a favorite at my dinner table. With fresh basil growing in my herb garden, chicken breasts thawing on the counter and a can of evaporated milk in the pantry, this creamy pesto chicken recipe was born. Wow! This pesto chicken is so incredibly easy to make, is rich and full of flavor and on the table in about 20 minutes. Almost too good to be true! This is one satisfying and delicious Italian-inspired chicken dinner.
You can make this pesto chicken with store-bought pesto or homemade basil pesto. Because pesto is so quick and easy to make, even going fresh doesn't add much time to this high-protein dinner. (Check out the health benefits of protein.) But there are some delicious store-bought pesto sauces available, so if you want to skip making fresh pesto, the recipe will still be amazing – and a shortcut recipe!
To make this gluten-free, low-carb recipe you will need just three simple ingredients. Here is your short shopping list for this pan-fried chicken with a creamy pesto sauce: boneless/skinless chicken breasts, basil pesto (check out the health benefits of pesto) and evaporated milk. The pesto is used to season the chicken while cooks in the skillet, and then again to flavor the sauce. The olive oil and Parmesan cheese in the pesto creates a delicious crust on the chicken. Because of the pesto, no extra olive oil is needed, which saves calories.
The juicy chicken breasts and creamy sauce are delicious served over pasta, rice or your favorite grain. I served mine over spaghetti noodles and garnished with fresh basil. Delicious!
Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade pesto)
- 5 ounces (1 small can) evaporated milk (a little over 1/2 cup)
Here's how to make it:
- If you are making homemade pesto, make it now. If not, skip this step. (I made this homemade pesto recipe.)
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Spread a little of the pesto on top of the chicken breasts. (I only used two chicken breasts, but you have enough sauce for four.)
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. (Because of the pesto on the chicken, you do not need additional olive oil.) Place the chicken, pesto side down, into the hot pan. Cook until golden and crispy on the bottom side, then flip the chicken over. Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken breasts. (If your chicken is getting too brown, reduce the heat. Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.) Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the evaporated milk and pesto to the hot pan.
- Cook, stirring, until combined and the sauce has thickened a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Put the chicken back into the sauce for about 1 minute.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta, rice or your favorite grain.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Store any leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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