I love using pesto with chicken. The bold flavors of the basil and tomatoes are just so classic, and this dish is one of my favorite things to make for those busy weeknights when you need dinner to come together quickly. This creamy pesto and cherry tomato chicken recipe has such simple ingredients, and using the pesto is a great way to have delicious Italian flavor for a quick and easy dinner. Whether you use store-bought pesto, homemade pesto, or another homemade version of pesto like my Kale and Pistachio Pesto, you’ll love the results. This is one of those great recipes that can be enjoyed with penne pasta, rotini pasta, your favorite pasta, or on a bed of brown rice. It would also be delicious on a bed of spaghetti squash for a low-carb option! Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, sop up the creamy sauce with toasted garlic bread, and serve with a big green salad! You’ll have a complete meal that the whole family will love!
Table of Contents
- Why You Will Love This Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken
- Ingredients You Will Need for This Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken Recipe
- Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Cherry vs Grape Tomatoes
- How To Make This Pesto & Cherry Tomato Chicken
- Serving Suggestions
- Common Questions
- One-Pan Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken Recipe
Why You Will Love This Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken
- This easy meal is one of those 30-minute meals with amazing fresh flavors.
- This is a super versatile weeknight dinner! Add spinach or make it with chicken broth. Get creative!
- This flavorful dish is a crowd-pleaser. Serve on any pasta or rice; use cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash to make it low-carb.
- This fresh and creamy chicken, tomato, and pesto recipe requires simple ingredients!
- This recipe is Paleo, Whole30, Keto, and, Specific Carbohydrate diet legal. It is also gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free!
Ingredients You Will Need for This Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken Recipe
- Seasonings: Onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper are delicious and simple to season the chicken before cooking. Feel free to adjust measurements according to your taste buds.
- Chicken breasts: This recipe is quick and easy to cook using a high quality boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have an even thickness to them. If you use a bone-in chicken breast, you’ll need to increase the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
- Yellow onion: Thinly slice your onions; they will be so flavorful and delicious as they are sauteed with tomatoes and garlic. Alternatively, you could use white onions if you prefer a sweeter and milder onion flavor.
- Cherry tomatoes: I personally prefer cherry tomatoes as they are slightly sweeter in flavor. If using large sized cherry or grape tomatoes I recommend cutting them in half.
- Fresh garlic cloves: The smell of the freshly diced garlic cloves sauteeing with the onion and tomatoes will have your mouth watering and have so much flavor. You could use minced garlic, but fresh will give you the best results.
- Pesto: Using a fresh homemade basil pesto for this recipe is amazing and is so simple to make, but store-bought pesto would also be delicious. You could also make a Kale and Pistachio Pesto if you prefer.
- Milk: Feel free to use heavy cream or whole milk or a dairy option. For a dairy free option I recommend unsweetened almond milk which has a mild flavor and makes a delicious creamy pesto sauce. You could also use light coconut milk or oat milk.
Find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large oven proof skillet
- Tongs
- Wooden Spoon
- Meat Thermometer
Cherry vs Grape Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes? They are very similar and both could be used. Grape tomatoes will be smaller in size and are a bit meatier in texture, while cherry tomatoes are brighter, sweeter, and juicier.
How To Make This Pesto & Cherry Tomato Chicken
- Generously season both sides of the chicken breasts. Sear the chicken breasts in a large skillet on both sides until golden brown in color. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
- Saute the onion for 5 minutes on medium-high heat then add the cherry tomatoes and garlic and continue to cook until the tomatoes have softened, burst, and become slightly jammy.
- Stir in the pesto and milk and gently simmer before returning the chicken breasts to the pan and transfer to the oven to cook for 15 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven, spoon sauce over each chicken breast, and garnish with plenty of fresh basil before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy chicken recipe is delicious, served with a simple garden salad or steamed green beans and on top of a bed of rice or your grain of choice. This is superb on pasta also. Here are some side dish ideas for you, too:
Common Questions
You can make this anywhere from a few hours to a day in advance and store in the skillet it’s cooked in. To reheat simply add a splash of milk to thin out the sauce and warm on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.
This delicious pesto chicken recipe is great the next day as the flavors come together even more. Allow everything to come to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. To reheat for next time, warm in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, or warm in the microwave.
Yes, you can definitely use chicken thighs. I recommend getting boneless, skinless chicken thighs, as they will cook more evenly and are the easiest way to get juicy chicken that is delicious every time!
There are many delicious store-bought pestos on the market. You can usually find them with the specialty cheeses and meats in the deli department or in your pasta aisle of your local grocery store. Check the ingredients if you are hoping for a dairy-free pesto. Making pesto is simple and delicious, though, and the fresh ingredients are easy to adjust to your liking. Check out my Broccoli Pesto or Kale and Pistachio Pesto if you want something other than a regular basil pesto.
Here Are Some Other Chicken Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Oven Baked Greek Chicken Drumsticks
- Creamy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Salt and Pepper Chicken
- The BEST Grilled Chicken
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs in a Chunky Pesto Sauce
If you make these One-Pan Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken recipe, let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
One-Pan Pesto and Cherry Tomato Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt a
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 lbs cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup pesto homemade or store bought
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk (or heavy cream or oat milk)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a bowl mix together the paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper and generously season both sides of the chicken breasts. Add the oil to a pan and sear the chicken breasts on both sides for 4-5 minutes until golden brown in colour. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
- Add the onion to the pan and saute for 5 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Next add in the cherry tomatoes and garlic and continue to cook for 8 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and burst and become slightly jammy.
- Stir in the pesto and milk and bring to a gentle simmer before returning the chicken breasts to the pan. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove from the oven, spoon sauce over each chicken breasts and garnish with basil before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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