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A flavorful meal, Creamy Basil Pesto Chicken, is made up of lightly seared chicken smothered in a creamy basil pesto sauce filled with sundried tomatoes and orzo. This one-pot meal is a weeknight favorite.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken
Chicken for dinner is a weeknight mainstay and one we often eat in our home. It can get boring and many times, unless seasoned properly, can be quite bland.
When there is a sauce filled with large amounts of seasoning and sundried tomatoes surrounding your chicken it becomes very exciting. Also mixed into the sauce is orzo pasta, which blends with the creamy flavor and adds depth and bulk to the recipe.
This is one of those dinners I love so much I prepare it even when we have company. The simplicity with which it can be prepared makes it extremely appealing for entertaining, yet it’s also beautiful. If you also like to serve chicken when entertaining I recommend trying this Oven-Fried Chicken next.
Ingredients
The ingredients below, minus the sun-dried tomatoes and orzo, come together in the form of a marinade, which is brushed on the chicken.
If you’re short on time or just prefer not to marinate your chicken ahead of time you can brush the mixture on the chicken just before cooking it in the skillet.
- Chicken Breast
- Pesto Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Orzo
- Water
What You’ll Need for the Sauce
This creamy sauce is full of flavor and brings the entire recipe together. It’s poured into the skillet just as the pasta is cooked and then thickens just before you nestle the chicken back in.
- Pesto Sauce
- Garlic
- Flour
- Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Pesto Chicken
- Cook the chicken. Melt the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they are thin. Brush both sides of the chicken with pesto and cook on each side for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Mix the sauce. In a single measuring cup whisk the pesto, garlic cloves, flour, heavy cream, and salt and pepper together.
- Cook the pasta. Scrape the skillet to remove the browned bits and if the skillet is completely dry add a dash of olive oil. Place the orzo pasta into the skillet and toast for about 30 seconds. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it becomes al dente and the water is mostly absorbed about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cook the sauce. Pour the sauce mixture along with the sun-dried tomatoes into the skillet and toss with the orzo to mix. Return the chicken to the skillet and allow it to heat through for an additional 2 minutes.
Can this be made gluten-free?
Yes. In order to make this recipe gluten-free, you’ll need to swap the flour for cornstarch and choose a gluten-free orzo pasta. Before adding the cornstarch to the mixture dissolve it in 1 tablespoon of warm water then mix it in. I always recommend double-checking your labels to make sure there isn’t any hidden gluten.
Can this be made dairy-free?
Yes. To make this recipe dairy-free change the heavy cream for canned coconut milk or use a creamy dairy-free milk alternative like oat milk.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Initially, you are just going to sear the chicken in the pan, remove it, and then return it to finish cooking. I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temp, which you want to reach 165ºF.
- As with just about any recipe the timing can vary, which is why I recommend checking the meat for temperature as well as checking the sauce and orzo for doneness.
- If your sauce isn’t as thick as you’d like then allow it to continue cooking so it thickens a bit more.
- Use thin cut or sliced chicken breasts or choose large boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice them in half.
Creamy Basil Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
Pesto Chicken
- 1 lb Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast
- 2 tablespoons Basil Pesto
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 3 ounces Sun-dried Tomatoes
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta
- 1½ cups Water
Creamy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Basil Pesto
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Flour
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large skillet (that has a lid, which you'll need later) over medium-high heat.
- Slice the chicken in half to create thin slices (or use thin-cut breasts) and brush both sides with the basil pesto. Add to the skillet and cook on each side for 4 to 5 minutes and remove and set on a plate for later.
- Scrape the browned bits off the sides and bottom of the skillet using a wooden spatula. If the skillet looks dry add another 2 teaspoons of olive oil and pour the orzo pasta in. Let the pasta brown for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the water into the skillet and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking the pasta, stirring frequently, for an additional 15 minutes or until the pasta becomes al dente and the water is mostly absorbed.
- Whisk 1 tablespoon of basil pesto, garlic cloves, flour, heavy cream, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the sauce mixture and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and toss to combine with the pasta. Return chicken and allow it to heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Notes
- If the sauce isn’t as thick as you’d like it to be allow it to cook for a little longer before adding the chicken back to the skillet.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken so it doesn’t overcook. It should have an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Could you substitute rice for the orzo? I cook so much with pasta. I am looking for a rice alternative.
Hello Debi, while I have not done it myself, I do think you can substitute rice for pasta. The rice will likely take longer to cook though.
Personally I LOVED it. I’ve never used orzo pasta but now I will more often. I will say my pasta didn’t take very long to cook, maybe 5 min but that’s just me! It was creamy and refreshing. Just what I was looking for to try something different for dinner that I’ve never thought of!
Jenna, that’s so wonderful! I’m glad you tried something new and that it turned out well.
I’m confused about the marinating. Do we marinate in just the pesto or in the creamy sauce?
Hey Alli, you’re just going to coat the chicken in pesto and then sear it in the butter and oil. Does that make sense? If not I’m happy to clarify.
I’m a little confused as well as at the top where you are talking about the chicken it says ideally marinade it in the pesto sauce for 30 minutes
Hello Leigh, I apologize for the confusion. Marinating this chicken isn’t necessary. I’ll update the text.
This was absolutely delish!! I followed the recipe to a tee. Had to add a bit more water. Next time I will 1.5x the sauce and orzo. Really very scrumptious!!
Vickie, this is so wonderful to read! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this and followed all the steps. It’s was yummy still but a little bland in the end and not creamy at all 🙁 The sauce disappears after 2 min. marinated the chicken even and it was still bland. I had to add extra of most seasonings and make more sauce. Topped it off with cheese just to help it
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this dish, Kirsten. I’m happy to troubleshoot if you ever decide to make it again.
How much water do I add? I couldn’t find it anywhere in the recipe. Shame on me for not having the water set aside ahead of time but my Orzo burned while I tried to figure out how much water to add.
Anthony, I’m so sorry! I recently updated this recipe and accidentally left the amount of water needed out. I’ve fixed the recipe now and the correct amount is 1 1/2 cups of water.
Thank you. I thought I was crazy. My wife was like, well how’d you make it last time lol
This was yummy and easy. The orzo has amazing flavor. But it took a good amount more than 30 minutes to make. Made according to recipe, except I threw a little extra pesto in the sauce because I love me some pesto. The chicken looked brown and crusty, and I was a little scared that it would taste burnt, but t didn’t. I did have a small issue with the chicken though. It wasn’t totally cooked after cooking in the pan, so I threw it in the oven while I made the pesto. Apparently it was a little too much because it was a little chewy. I think next time I will do what I normally do– brown and par-cook the chicken in the pan and then put in the oven (about 400) for about 15 minutes to finish up. I thought I’d just try it in the pan, but nope. I will make again, but will just make a few minor tweaks. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment and information, Andrea! I always love to have as much information about the recipe as possible. I can include your information in the actual post. I’m glad you liked it!
Can you use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Yes! You can use half and half instead of heavy cream. It will make the consistency of the sauce a little less thick, but it will still taste just as good.
I love orzo and pesto so I am going to have to try this recipe!
This was definitely one of my favorites of 2018! I can’t get enough orzo!
Happy Birthday Aimee!! This recipe looks amazing! Your photos are always so well lit with perfect focus on the food… I love it! I hope you have a fabulous birthday weekend – and good luck with your giveaway!
Thanks, Danielle, and super thanks for your sweet comments. It means a lot, especially coming from another food blogger.