Italian chicken skillet with pesto is a one-skillet meal with chicken and veggies that are coated in pesto and topped with melty mozzarella cheese for a delicious dinner that’s ready in only 25 minutes!
We love some Italian flavors in my house.
This healthy creamy Italian chicken skillet is a one-pot, 30-minute meal with an addictively delicious creamy sauce.
And you can’t beat the goodness of chicken Parm, and mine is made easy and a little healthier and ready in just 15 minutes. No breading station needed!
And we're at it again today.
This recipe for Italian chicken skillet with pesto is perfect for making a delicious dinner without a lot of time or effort.
It’s a one skillet meal with simple ingredients and it’s ready in just 25 minutes!
The cubed chicken pieces are seasoned and seared in the skillet, then we set them aside and sauté the veggies in the same pan.
The chicken is added back in and mixed with the pesto and the whole thing is topped with mozzarella cheese to melt down over top. Mmm, melty cheese!
Then we serve it up with some fresh basil for a pop of herby freshness and some grated Parmesan cheese.
All of these big flavors just work so well together and make a really satisfying meal.
So let’s get cooking!
You can also check out my Google web story for this Italian chicken skillet recipe. And if you love these flavors, check out this 3 ingredient baked pesto chicken for a hands off dinner.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make Italian chicken with pesto. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: We’re using boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cutting them down into 1-inch pieces. This helps them cook more quickly and evenly.
- Bell pepper: I love using a red bell pepper for color and sweetness, but you could swap it out for another color bell pepper.
- Pesto: Use a good quality pesto for this recipe. Try my homemade basil pesto for the best flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese: I just use the shredded mozzarella I always have on hand, but you could definitely use some sliced fresh mozzarella if you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese: This is optional, but I say use it if you’ve got it.
Oh, and if you have lots of extra pesto, here are some more ways to use pesto. I love the stuff.
Ready to eat? Me too.
Serving Ideas:
- Serve the chicken and veggies over some steamed brown or white rice.
- Choose cauliflower rice if you want to keep this dish low-carb.
- It would also be great over some polenta, pasta or quinoa.
- Or serve it as is and have some crusty bread to go along with it.
Very versatile. Gotta love that.
Once cooled, leftovers of this Italian chicken skillet with pesto can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Reheat leftovers in a medium skillet over medium low heat, stirring regularly, until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot.
I hope you give this a try for a new easy dinner with big flavor.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Italian Chicken Skillet with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced into half moons
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup pesto
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, for serving
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the dried Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the cubed chicken.
- Heat 1 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until seared on all sides and nearly cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion, zucchini and bell pepper and sauté for 6-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and remaining seasoning mix and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Return the chicken to the pan, add the pesto and stir until everything is well combined and coated. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is somewhat evaporated.
- Add the mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken and veggies, then cover the skillet, turn off the heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes, to melt the cheese.
- Serve with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Notes
- Serve the chicken and veggies over some steamed brown or white rice.
- Choose cauliflower rice if you want to keep this dish low-carb.
- It would also be great over some polenta, pasta or quinoa.
- Or serve it as is and have some crusty bread to go along with it.
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