More of our favorite one pot chicken dishes
One Pot Chicken Dinner Winner
We’ve thought a lot about one pot dinners (check out our Best One Pot Dinners, and our delectable Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice) and chicken is a surefire dinner plan (we’ve got 60 Best Chicken Breast Recipes that prove it). This chicken with pesto recipe combines the best of both worlds in an easy one pot chicken dinner. And once you make our Homemade Basil Pesto recipe, you can use it to make pesto green beans and pesto potato salad.
Ingredients For One Pot Basil Pesto Chicken And Rice
Chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red onion, sliced
Long grain white rice
Chicken stock
Pesto, homemade or store bought
Lemon–lemon zest and fresh lemon juice
Cherry tomatoes
Crumbled goat cheese
Toasted pine nuts
How To Make One Pot Pesto Chicken
Prepare the chicken by patting it dry using paper towels, and seasoning all over with salt.
Brown the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the onion, and then add a splash of chicken stock. Stir in the rice, pesto, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and the rest of the chicken stock.
Nestle the chicken into the rice mixture using tongs and pour over any collected juices. Bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes. Cover and cook until the liquid has absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto over the chicken, then sprinkle with the goat cheese and pine nuts.
How to Store Leftovers + Tips
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. If freezing, cool completely before placing in an air-tight container. Frozen rice is best if consumed within one month.
Patting the chicken dry might seem like an unnecessary step, but we include it here because it helps the chicken brown which leads to a more flavorful dish.
We recommend using long grain white rice. If you use a different kind of rice, keep your eye on the cooking time.
If you’re making homemade pesto, you’ll already have pine nuts on hand. If you’re buying pesto at the store, you can skip the pine nut garnish if you don’t have them in your pantry already. Slivered almonds would also deliver a nice crunch.
More Chicken + Pesto Recipes From The Modern Proper
Find Your Next Favorite Dinner Recipe This Way
For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!
