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Creamy, luxurious and made in One skillet! This skillet chicken is topped with a super creamy tomato basil cream sauce. Make it with chicken breasts or chicken thighs, you just can’t go wrong!
Guess what day it is!
It’s one skillet Wednesday!
Okay, yeah so that’s not really a thing but shouldn’t it be? Who doesn’t love cooking a one skillet chicken dinner that takes about 30 minutes from start to finish in the middle of the work week when you’re already burnt out and there is no end in sight.
I’m going bonkers for todays meal. If you haven’t caught it already, it’s another easy twist on my one skillet chicken with lemon garlic cream sauce. Because everyone needs more than one chicken dinner in their arsenal. And just like the last recipe, this one can be made with boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Is it me, or am I 2 for 2 with this recipe?
Just like the last skillet chicken recipe, we’re making it all in one pan. Which alone would make this a ???????????????????? recipe. But also: sun dried tomato basil pesto. Gah! And add in that touch of cream, your tongue is going to thank me.
And so will your family.
The ingredients for my one skillet chicken dinner are simple. You may or may not have heard/used sun-dried tomato pesto before, but I assure you, it’s nothing to be scared of! You can find an easy recipe to make it here or just purchase it premade, in a jar. It’s usually next to where they keep the basil pesto in stores. Either will do the trick. And if you’re wondering what to do with all that left over pesto, try this! Everyone that’s tried it, loved it.
Other than that, you’re using a little red onions (or shallots), garlic, butter, cream, parsley, and chicken stock. And just like the last one skillet dinner, you can serve this tomato basil cream chicken over a bed of angel hair pasta. I’m seeing lots of hugs, kisses, and high-fives in your future.
Just look at the smooth consistency on that tomato basil cream sauce! ???????????? I apologize for the excessive emojis, but you’ll totally understand why they’re necessary when you make this for yourself.
Remember how scared I was to add heavy cream to a sauce that contained lemon last time? HA! Well it wasn’t much better this time because of the sun-dried tomato pesto. The fear of broken cream sauce made me feel like I had icicles in my stomach. But now, I laugh in the face of cream sauces everywhere. The trick to get this sauce perfect is to not let it boil once you’ve added the cream. It will come out beautifully every single time if you just DON’T LET IT COME TO BOIL. 3 for 3. Are you keeping score?
I added the chicken back into the skillet once the sauce was done, and after begging y’all to add some capers up in here to this skillet chicken dinner, I decided i’d be the first one to do it. And Oh mah gee. Yes, yes, a thousand and one times!
Make yourself a little happy happy tonight with this tomato basil cream sauce smothered one skillet chicken dinner.
One Skillet Chicken with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomato basil pesto homemade or store bought
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup diced red onions or shallots
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon capers optional
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil
Instructions
- Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, pesto, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine until the pesto is more or less dissolved.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and allow to brown on both sides of 2-3 minutes per side. Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked completely, we'll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the flame to medium, add the onions to the skillet and allow the onions to cook for 1 minute before adding in the chicken broth mixture. Using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened. Let sauce reduce for about 8-10 minutes or until until about ⅓ of the sauce remains.
- When the sauce has thickened, remove from the flame, add the butter and whisk until it melts completely. With the skillet off the flame, add the heavy cream, whisk to combine. Place the skillet back of over the flame for just 30 seconds. DO NOT allow the sauce to boil. Remove from heat, add the chicken back into the pan and drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Add the capers. Place the skillet in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Top with chopped parsley or basil and serve warm.
Notes
- For best results, use boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs that about the same thickness. I pounded mine down to about ½ inch so they would all cook evenly. Thicker chicken breasts may require additional cooking time.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
is this a good choice for you?
What could u serve with this please?
This recipe was absolutely amazing. I’m adding it to my faves right this very second. The only change I made was adding the garlic to the pan with the onions for 30 secs before adding the broth/pesto mix. Absolutely delicious. The bomb diggity. Mmmm!! I served it with some German spatzale noodles with butter and parsley.
I made this recipe for my husband and sons and I a couple of years ago and it was a huge hit, even for my son who does not like chicken much. I made theirs with regulars long pasta and mine with zucchini noodles. So delicious. And love the one pan dinners. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to make it again, going on the table tonight! Thank you for this excellent recipe!
This was amazing. Very easy to prepare, too! I served it with zucchini noodles and a Caesar salad. This will definitely be on the menu again!
Saaaaavage!! So easy but man do you get a tasty dish!
We love this recipe and it is a regular in the rotation. Can it be made in an instant pot? Part of me thinks it would work to pour the sauce on top of the chicken and let it cook. Anyone try this?
I’ve currently got it in the slow cooker now I’ll let you know how it goes
This is delicious! I am making this once a week now because the whole family LOVES it and it’s one pan easy peasy!! I highly recommend.
I made this for my hubby and teenage boys and they LOVED it! I made the homemade sun-dried tomato pesto also, which is the only way to go. That pesto is so flavorful and fresh. When the dish was completely cooked, we stirred in about 2 more tablespoons of the pesto for loads of flavor. My hubby, who just returned from Italy, said that it was better than anything he had eaten there! Can’t wait to make this again. I am considering making it for my dinner club when I host Italian Night.
My family already loves your One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce so I thought I would try this. DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for adding yummy recipes to our dinner rotation.
What is the nutrition facts on this recipe? Looks yummy!
I could only find basil pesto in the store. Would that work or will it be way too different in flavor??
You can use basil pesto if you’d like Emma but the flavor will definitely be different.
Amazing!!!! this was such a good dinner. I froze the leftover pesto and I am now using the frozen pesto for my 2nd time making this. thank so much for a winner dinner 🙂
Made this recipe tonight with chicken thighs. Added the capers (yum!). Served with quinoa and roasted green beans, red peppers and onions. Absolutely delicious! Will make this again!
Now THIS recipe was excellent. My supermarket didn’t have a tomato basil pesto. But they had tomato pesto and a basil pesto, so I bought both and mixed them together 🙂
I made angel hair pasta to go with it and I have to admit, I doubled the sauce recipe. I love sauces and I am glad I did. This recipe is a keeper.
Just wanted to tell you how much I loved this recipe! I used shallots instead of red onion and omitted the capers for personal preference but it was so delicious. It’s such a perfect, easy meal for a weeknight but I think the finished product is fancy enough to serve guests. Thank you so much.
So happy to hear it Lauren! 🙂