Ingredients
- 900 g (2 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (roughly 3 chicken breasts), cut in half horizontally to create 6 thinner steaks
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (80 g) semi-dried (sun-blushed) tomatoes
- 2 cups (90 g) baby spinach leaves (see note 1)
- 1 cup (250 ml) thickened (heavy) cream
- ⅔ cup (185 g) pesto, store-bought (see note 2 about gluten) or homemade
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Season the chicken breast with salt.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden. Set aside.
- Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup (60 ml) of water, scraping up any crispy bits with a wooden spoon.
- To the same pan, add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the semi-dried tomatoes, spinach leaves (or veg of choice, see note 1) and the cream. Bring to a gentle simmer (this will take 1–2 minutes).
- Stir through the pesto and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer on low heat for 3–5 minutes until the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Top with parmesan and serve.
Notes
Note 1 – This is a great dinner to use up the last of the veg in your fridge and freezer. You can use 2 cups of your vegetable of choice instead of the spinach. Some good options include cherry tomatoes, zucchini “zoodles” (courgette “courgetti”), shredded kale, peas, shredded silverbeet (Swiss chard) or broccoli.
Note 2 – If you buy storebought pesto, always read the label to check that it is gluten-free.
MAKE AHEAD
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 2 months – slice the chicken and ensure it’s covered with sauce to avoid freezer burn. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave. The sauce will lose a bit of creaminess and become more oil-based as the milk fats separate from the milk solids. It will still taste delicious!
LEFTOVERS
See Make Ahead above.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: chicken, Chicken Breast, Creamy Pesto Chicken Breast
- Method: pan, simmer
- Cuisine: Italian