Creamy Pesto Chicken

I had leftover basil pesto, so I made this easy chicken dish.  It was creamy and delicious.  There was more sauce than I was expecting, and with the leftovers, we added some cooked pasta into the skillet and tossed with the pesto sauce which tasted really great (photo below).

Creamy Pesto Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~1.3 lbs total)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I just used a couple handfuls from my garden)

1/3 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup basil pesto

Directions:

Pound the chicken to an even thickness and cut each in half to make 4 total portions.  Season each side with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.  Add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness.  Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty skillet.  Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for 3-5 minutes until tomatoes start to soften.  Add the milk, butter, and pesto into the skillet and stir to combine.  Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple minutes.

Add the chicken back into the skillet and turn to coat the chicken with the sauce.  Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for a couple minutes to reheat.  Serve hot.