One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken

by Angela Gallardo in Lunch & Dinner, Recipes

1 comment

Perfect summer meal right here ☝🏼

I have basil literally (but not really literally) coming out of my ears rn due to 2 flourishing pots on my porch.

You have the option to throw in your favorite summer veggies.  I chose some that I know cook quickly, since the chicken doesn’t need a ton of time in the oven after being browned stovetop.

There will be leftover pesto, which is not a bad thing.

Get a printable PDF of the recipe

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken

Yields: 2 servings

For the pesto:

• 2 c. fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 tsp. chili pepper or red pepper flakes, optional
• 1⁄2 tsp. sea salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. black pepper

For the pan:

• 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 lb. asparagus or green beans, cleaned & trimmed
• 1 small yellow squash or zucchini, cut to half moons
• 4 oz. cherry tomatoes
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Minimum 4 hours before cooking (and up to 24 hours) make the pesto by adding all the pesto ingredients to the bowl of a large food processor.  Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
2. Add 1 cup of the pesto to a large ziplock bag along with the chicken thighs.  Seal and massage to coat the chicken fully.  Marinate 4-24 hours.
3. 15 minutes before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator to take some of the chill off.
4. Preheat the oven to 375F.
5. Heat an oven-safe, wide skillet over medium heat and grease lightly with a high-heat cooking oil.
6. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken skin-side down (shake off much of the pesto before adding to the pan).  Use caution, as the pesto will cause the chicken to splatter a bit.  A splatter screen is great for offsetting this.
7. Cook until both sides are dark golden, about 5 minutes per side.
8. Prep the veggies while the chicken is cooking.  Toss them in the pesto remaining from the marinated chicken (don’t stress about chicken juices contamination! it’s all getting cooked out).
9. Tuck the veggies into the pan amongst the chicken.  Bake for 12-18 minutes, depending on how large your thighs are.  The juices should run clear when cut and the veggies will be softened and starting to turn golden.
10. Taste and season with additional sea salt & pepper.  Serve with additional pesto over top, as desired.

Note: this recipe can be easily doubled if you have a wide enough pan.  You should not need to double the pesto.