Cheesy Pistachio Pesto Chicken with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Recipe
A quick and easy pesto chicken dinner with a vibrant pistachio pesto, a layer of fontina cheese and perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes!
Equipment
- 1 Large nonstick skillet oven safe
- Meat mallet optional
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Pistachio Basil Pesto
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 5 ounces grated fontina cheese
- Basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Make the Pistachio Basil Pesto
- Follow the instructions to make our Pistachio Basil Pesto linked in ingredients above (or use your own pesto recipe if desired).
Prepare the Chicken & Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness (about ¾” or so) - alternatively, slice one thick chicken breast lengthwise to make two thin chicken breasts. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 10-12 cherry tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sear the Chicken
- On high heat add the other tablespoon of olive oil to a large oven-safe nonstick pan. Place the chicken in the hot pan for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Flip the chicken and cook for 30 seconds more, then remove from the heat.
Assemble and Roast the Chicken
- Spread the pesto on top of the chicken breasts, then sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the pesto. Add the fresh tomatoes to the pan and put the pan in the preheated oven for approximately 8 minutes.4 Tablespoons Pistachio Basil Pesto, 5 ounces grated fontina cheese
- Turn the oven to broil and put the pan on the top rack close to the heat source for 1-2 minutes to get a little golden brown color on the cheese (the internal temperature of cooked chicken should be 165°F so use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked properly).
- Once done, remove the pan from the oven and plate the chicken breasts, garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional) and serve.Basil leaves for garnish
Notes
Storage
How to store leftover pesto chicken: Store leftover pesto chicken an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to reheat leftover pesto chicken: It is best to reheat leftover pesto chicken slowly in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
Substitutions:
- Pesto: This is amazing with a classic homemade basil pesto as well or use your favorite pesto recipe. If using a pre-made jarred store-bought pesto, you may need to adjust the salt content on the chicken since a grocery store jar of pesto often has extra salt to preserve it for a longer self-life.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes will work in this recipe as well.
- Fontina Cheese: You could use any cheese that melts well. Gouda, muenster, and havarti are the other ones we like best on this chicken, but fresh mozzarella cheese is a good choice as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 628kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 44gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 2102mgPotassium: 711mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1390IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 439mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
