Creamy Pesto Rosso Chicken
with golden cherry tomatoes, basil and white beans
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This creamy pesto chicken is like a shortcut to the very popular Marry Me Chicken. Chicken thighs are simmered in a sauce made with pesto rosso (recipe below!), heavy cream, and golden cherry tomatoes. I tossed in a can of white beans to soak up all that delicious sauce and then just before serving, it gets a big handful of fresh basil and a generous shower of Parmesan cheese.
It’s a quick weeknight dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes. The combo of the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with fresh basil and tomatoes is perfection. You can absolutely use store-bought pesto here—no need to make a whole batch just for this recipe if you don’t want. But if you do have some homemade sun-dried tomato pesto on hand, this is a great way to use it. Not into red pesto? Use green. Pick any pesto you like and go with it. Ok, onto the recipe below!
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Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
8 oz cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp pesto rosso (sun-dried tomato pesto) or any pesto you like
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup water
1 can white beans (15 oz can ) drained and rinsed
handful fresh basil leaves
salt
black pepper fresh ground
Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for serving
olive oil
Instructions
Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the same pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, letting them blister slightly.
Add the pesto rosso, water, and heavy cream to the pan. Stir to combine, scraping up any golden bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Return the chicken to the pan, along with the drained white beans. Simmer, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is fully cooked through.
Just before serving, top with fresh basil leaves, a generous grating of Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and more black pepper to taste.
This creamy pesto chicken is great served with rice (how I had it) or tossed with your fave pasta—add in a little pasta water to help coat the pasta and create a super velvety sauce.
Notes:
This recipe calls for Pesto Rosso, a red sun-dried tomato pesto, but you can certainly use a classic green Genovese pesto, or switch it up with a Sicilian pistachio and mint pesto. Any pesto really will be super delicious.
Pesto Rosso (Sun-dried Tomato Pesto)
Ingredients
¼ cup raw almonds 36g
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 30g
2 garlic cloves - crushed
½ cup basil 12g
8.5 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil - drained should be about 160g drained
¼ cup olive oil start with ¼ cup and add more as needed
Instructions
Add the almonds, Parmesan, garlic, basil, and drained sun-dried tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Add in 1/4 cup of olive oil to start.
Blend or pulse until everything starts to break down. Scrape down the sides, stir, and pulse again until the pesto is blended to a texture you like. Add in additional olive oil if the pesto is too thick.
Taste the pesto and season with salt if needed. (The Sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan can be quite salty, so you may not need any.)
To Store: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.
To Serve: Toss with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Stir well to fully coat the noodles and create a silky, flavorful finish.
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