This one-pan chicken pesto rice recipe makes dinner easy and delicious. Butterflied chicken drumsticks are seasoned and cooked to perfection. Then, they're nestled in a rich, creamy, homemade sun-dried tomato and pesto cream sauce. Served over rice or noodles, it's the perfect family dinner.
Quick Look: Chicken Pesto Rice
- ⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 35 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍲 Serving: 6 Bowls
- ⚡ Calories: 501 calories per bowl
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: sun-dried tomato and pesto perfection
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy, a pasta meal bursting with flavor
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If you want a delicious, filling family dinner that will make everyone happy, then you can't go wrong with chicken. From creamy garlic parmesan chicken to BBQ chicken, there are so many ways to use this versatile protein, and you'll almost always end up with a winner!
I make many kinds of chicken recipes for just that reason, and one that I've really fallen in love with lately is my creamy chicken pesto recipe. It's full of Italian American flavor, and the best part is that it's so easy to make. You only need one pan if you are in a rush. That's a combo we all love. Am I right?
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Why You'll Love This Creamy Chicken Pesto with Rice
- Hearty and Filling: With its flavorful chicken legs and rich, creamy sauce, this is a dish that satisfies even the biggest eaters, especially when you serve it over rice or noodles.
- Simple Ingredients: Like most of my recipes, you don't need anything fancy to make this recipe. Black pepper, salt, and some fresh basil go a long way in this dish!
- Easy: It only takes a few simple steps, one pot, and about 30 minutes make this dish from start to finish.
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"This one really hits the spot! It is bursting with pesto flavor and helps me get dinner on the table in less than an hours! Perfect for a just because or when you are rushing." - Sarah
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Drumsticks
- Chicken Drumsticks: I prefer Springer Mountain Farms drumsticks. The company is committed to raising the healthiest chicken with no antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products in their feed ever.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a convenient way to add deep, savory flavor to the chicken.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Oil: Using the oil from sun-dried tomatoes keeps the chicken from sticking to the pan, while simultaneously infusing it with even more delicious flavor.
Sauce
- Chicken Broth: Chicken broth creates a flavorful base for this creamy sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream thickens the sauce and adds richness to it.
- Seasonings: A blend of Italian seasoning, paprika, and a few other spices gives the sauce a deep, savory flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds nutty notes to the sauce.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes add sweet, bright tomato flavor with just the right amount of acidity.
- Pesto: Pesto adds a bright, bold kick of seasoned basil flavor to the sauce.
- Spinach: Spinach adds flavor and texture to the sauce.
Flavor Variations
- Protein: Chicken drumsticks add the deepest flavor, but you can use skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. You can also make this recipe with pork or even your favorite seafood.
- Dairy Free: If you don't eat dairy, simply replace all the dairy ingredients with plant-based versions in equal amounts.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick that's perfect with its creamy texture.
- Pine Nuts: Sprinkle the dish with pine nuts before serving for extra flavor and texture.
How to Make Creamy Pesto Chicken Rice
Step 1. Wash the drumsticks and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, butterfly them by cutting a slit in one side of the legs from top to bottom and opening up the meat. Next, thoroughly coat both sides of the drumsticks with the seasoning blend.
Step 2. Add the sun-dried tomato oil to a large skillet and preheat it over medium heat. Then, sear the butterflied drumsticks to get a golden brown, crispy skin on all sides.
Step 3. Reduce your heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook the drumsticks for 8 minutes on each side until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. After that, transfer the drumsticks to a plate.
Step. 4 Add butter to the same pan, along with the minced garlic, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato puree. Cook, stirring constantly, just long enough to sweat the vegetables and let the flavors meld.
Step 5. When the mixture is fragrant, add the chicken broth, heavy cream, spinach, and dry seasonings. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted. Finally, stir in the parmesan cheese and cook for another few minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Then, stir in your choice of cooked rice or pasta, chopped basil, and the chicken, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Wash your drumsticks: The seasoning will stick to the pieces better.
- Preheat your oil: Your drumsticks will begin to sear immediately and lock in all that juicy goodness!
- Keep your heat low: Drop the temp after adding the cooked rice. You just want to heat it. If you overcook it, you'll end up with a gummy mess.
- Use a meat thermometer: check your poultry is the perfect temperature using a meat thermometer. I prefer the ThermoPro Lightning thermometer. This ensures both food safety and chicken that's tender and juicy instead of overcooked and grainy!
Creamy Pesto Chicken and Rice FAQs
Pesto is a flavorful paste made of crushed garlic, pine nuts, basil, grated parmesan, and olive oil. Traditionally, it's used to dress pasta, but it can also be added to recipes like pasta sauces and soups to add more flavor.
It's easier than you think to butterfly drumsticks. Place them on a cutting board, then using a very sharp knife, CAREFULLY make a slice down the length of one side of the drumstick, being sure you cut down to the bone. Then, gently pull both sides apart to make the butterfly.
The only real way to know with 100% accuracy that your chicken is fully cooked is by using a meat thermometer. If the heat registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the meat, your chicken is done.
I don't recommend it. Creamy sauces tend to break when they defrost, and there's no way to fix them.
Yes! All of my recipes are gluten free. You can use traditional pasta to add gluten back in, as long as you do not have a gluten allergy.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Pesto Rice
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 1 ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil
For the Rice
- 2 cups rice cooked
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon pesto sauce
- ⅛ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Handful of chopped spinach
- French chopped basil
Instructions
Chicken Drumsticks
- Wash and pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels. Then, make a cut down one side of each drumstick, making sure to cut to the bone. Spread the meat out on both sides of each drumstick to make the butterfly.
- Mix the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Then, add the butterflied drumsticks and evenly coat them on all sides with the seasonings.
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Then, add the drumsticks and cook them for 3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the chicken for 8 minutes on each side until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Transfer them to a plate.
Sauce
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Then, add the minced garlic, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato puree. Sautee the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping down the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, spinach, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and parsley to the skillet and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce is creamy and begins to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add your cooked chicken and rice (or pasta) and cook until heated through. Finally, add chopped basil and serve.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing is not recommended, as the sauce will almost certainly break.
- To reheat, cook over medium-low in a covered skillet until heated through.
- When rinsing the drumsticks, place them in a colander in the sink and use a gentle stream of water to prevent excess splashing.
- Wash your sink and counters immediately after rinsing the chicken.
- When using your meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat, and be sure not to touch the bone.
Kenneth says
If you replace the rice with pasta, how much pasta?
NKendrick says
About 10 oz of pasta!
Agnieszka says
This worked exactly as written, thanks! Thank for for sharing this great rice recipe, will be making it again.
Criss says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Juyali says
What a delicious recipe! I loved the flavor combination of smoked paprika and pesto in this dish. We couldn't get enough of it. I'll be making this again!
Jacqueline says
This is a new favourite easy chicken dinner. I love the sauce, so flavourful!
Krystle says
This worked exactly as written. The pesto sauce is to die for and I love the sun dried tomatoes. FIlling and easy!
Liz says
Such a yummy entree!!! I used both drumsticks and chicken breasts and it was given thumbs up by the whole family.
Anonymous says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!