Keto Creamy Pesto Chicken Tomatoes (Printable version)

Tender chicken simmered in basil pesto cream sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes—ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Creamy Pesto Sauce

05 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
06 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Roasted Tomatoes

08 - 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange cherry tomato halves on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 15-18 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized.
02 - While tomatoes roast, season chicken breasts evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on both sides.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add pesto and heavy cream to the same skillet, stirring constantly until simmering. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce becomes creamy.
05 - Return chicken to pan, coating thoroughly with sauce. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - Top chicken with roasted tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly tender because it finishes cooking gently in the sauce rather than overcooking in the pan.
  • Roasted cherry tomatoes add a natural sweetness and slight char that balances the richness of the cream without any heaviness.
  • This meal comes together in under 45 minutes, making it genuinely practical for nights when you can't be bothered with complexity.
02 -
  • Pesto contains oil, so add it slowly to the cream and taste as you go—some store-bought versions are salty, and you don't want to oversalt the finished sauce.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold cream to bring it back together.
03 -
  • Make the pesto sauce in the same skillet after searing the chicken so you capture all those golden bits stuck to the bottom—they're pure flavor.
  • If you're serving this to someone, plate the chicken while the tomatoes are still warm from the oven so the heat sets everything together beautifully.
Go back