Creamy Pesto Marry Me Chicken (Printable View)

Juicy chicken in creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, ready in 40 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ For Searing

05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Creamy Pesto Sauce

06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup chicken broth
10 - ⅓ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
11 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is lightly softened.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring constantly to deglaze the pan and lift any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Stir the basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese into the cream mixture. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has fully melted. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon sauce over each piece to coat evenly. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce has thickened.
07 - Transfer the chicken to serving plates and spoon the remaining sauce generously over each portion. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately alongside pasta, mashed potatoes, or sautéed greens.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pesto does something magical to the cream sauce, making it taste like you spent three hours reducing it when you barely stirred.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes bring a tangy sweetness that cuts through the richness so every bite feels balanced, not heavy.
  • It looks and tastes like a restaurant dish but the entire thing happens in one skillet with zero fancy technique.
02 -
  • Do not skip scraping the fond off the pan after searing, those browned bits are concentrated flavor and the backbone of your entire sauce.
  • If the sauce looks broken or greasy when you add the cream, lower the heat and whisk steadily until it comes back together, patience fixes it every time.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes after the braise before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your plate.
  • A squeeze of lemon juice right at the end brightens the entire dish and makes the pesto flavor pop in a way that surprises people every time.

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