Pesto Cream Cheese Chicken
on Jan 07, 2025, Updated Apr 01, 2025
This low-carb Pesto Cream Cheese Chicken comes together in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients. Try my easy recipe here (gluten-free, keto).
Here are a few more chicken recipes – Amish Chicken, Spicy Lemon Butter Chicken, Honey Butter Garlic Chicken, and Hibachi Chicken.
I try to make non-Indian dishes for our dinners, which are mainly chicken, shrimp, or fish in some form. A few days back, I made this chicken with pesto and cream cheese, and everyone at home loved it. It comes together quickly, is filling, and tastes delicious. Do try it!
About Pesto Cream Cheese Chicken
Pesto Cream Cheese Chicken is a delicious main course dish where boneless chicken breasts are cooked and pan-tossed with a basil-flavored creamy, cheesy pesto sauce.
This chicken dish is super easy to make, very delicious, and can be served on the table in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
You can include it in your low-carb or keto diet as well.
My recipe serves 4, but you can easily double or triple the recipe per your requirements.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make this creamy pesto chicken recipe, but you can use chicken thighs too. If you like skin, then you can also use skin-on chicken pieces.
If using chicken thighs, the cooking time will be slightly longer than chicken breasts.
Basil Pesto – Use homemade basil pesto for the best flavor. If you are using a store-bought jar of pesto, get the best quality one. Use my Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto instead of classic pesto for a taste change.
Heavy Cream, Cream Cheese & Parmesan Cheese – These ingredients make this creamy pesto chicken recipe cheesy and creamy.
Others – You will also need extra virgin olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, chicken broth, salt, and ground black pepper powder.
Use any variety of mushrooms that you like. I used button mushrooms as they are easily available and economical too.
You can add more veggies, like fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, bell peppers, snow peas, etc., to this dish.
Chopped sun-dried tomatoes are also a great addition.
Add some red pepper flakes or chopped red chilies to spice up the sauce. You can also add Italian seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning or cajun seasoning to the sauce to change the flavors.
Top the dish with roasted chopped nuts like pine nuts, walnuts, etc., just before serving for a nice crunch
How To Make Cream Cheese Pesto Chicken
Prepare The Chicken
Rinse 4 chicken breasts and pat them dry using paper towels.
Pound the chicken using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin until they are thin and even in thickness.
Fry The Chicken
Heat 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, arrange the chicken breast in the pan in a single layer.
Note – You can fry the chicken in batches if the pan is not large enough to accommodate all 4 breasts simultaneously.
Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through.
Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Make The Pesto Cream Cheese Sauce
Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup sliced mushrooms to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms are tender, frequently stirring for about 3-4 minutes.
Add ½ cup of basil pesto to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Now add ½ cup of chicken broth and stir to combine with pesto.
Add ½ cup of unsweetened heavy cream and 7 oz (200 g) of cream cheese and continue to stir until the sauce is smooth.
Now add 1 cup milk and ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and combined with the sauce.
Note – If the sauce looks thick, add some milk to thin it down.
Check for salt and pepper and add as required.
Transfer the chicken to serving plates and pour the hot, creamy pesto sauce.
Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, and serve hot.
Pro Tip By Neha
To make this dish extra indulgent, assemble it in an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes until the top is browned. Serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. This sauce tastes great with shrimp, salmon, other fish, pork, and beef. Just cook the meat and then pour the sauce over it. You can also grill your favorite veggies and pour the sauce over them to make a vegetarian dish. Make sure to use veg stock instead of chicken stock if making a vegetarian version.
Insert a meat thermometer inside the cooked chicken. The chicken is cooked if the internal temperature is 165°F (75°C).
If you do not have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the chicken with a fork. If the juices run clear, it is cooked. If they are pink or red, you need to cook them a little more.
Serving Suggestions
For an easy dinner, serve Pesto and Cream Cheese Chicken with fresh green salad, grilled veggies, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower rice.
You can also serve it on the side with pasta.
Storage Suggestions
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 2-3 days. Reheat in the pan or microwave until properly heated. Add some milk before reheating if the gravy has thickened after refrigeration.
This dish doesn’t freeze well, as the cheese will curdle when thawed.
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Pesto Cream Cheese Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup sliced button mushrooms
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream
- 7 ounces cream cheese (200 g)
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper powder (to taste)
- fresh basil leaves (for garnishing (optional))
Instructions
Prepare The Chicken
- Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry using paper towels.
- Pound the chicken using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin until they are thin and even in thickness.
Fry The Chicken
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, arrange the chicken breast in the pan in a single layer.
- Note – You can fry the chicken in batches if the pan is not large enough to accommodate all 4 breasts at the same time.
- Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Make The Pesto Cream Cheese Sauce
- Add garlic and mushrooms to the same pan and saute over medium heat till the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms are tender about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add basil pesto to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add chicken broth and stir to combine with pesto.
- Add heavy cream and cream cheese and continue to stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Now add milk and parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and combined with the sauce.
- Note – If the sauce looks thick, add some milk to thin it down.
- Check for salt and pepper and add as required.
- Transfer the chicken to serving plates and pour the hot sauce on top.
- Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves and serve hot.
