One pan and 15-minutes is all you need to enjoy this easy and delicious chicken recipe, with a lightly creamy sauce of basil pesto sauce and fresh cherry tomatoes.
2boneless skinless chicken breasts, each cut in half lengthwise making 4 pieces
7ozcherry tomatoes, halved
3Tablespoonsbasil pesto
3Tablespoonscrème fraîche, *see Notes for substitution options
For garnish:
Fresh or dried basil
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Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and fry without disturbing it until the chicken is golden underneath. Turn the chicken and cook on the other side. Continue cooking until the chicken is just cooked through.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes into the pan, stirring occasionally and allowing them to cook a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Reduce the heat and stir in the pesto and crème fraîche until it makes a sauce. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, as needed. Serve garnished with chopped fresh basil or dried basil.
Great served with pasta, rice or mashed potatoes or enjoy as is with a salad or steamed green vegetables. My favourite way to serve is to remove the chicken and slice. Spoon the sauce over cooked pasta and toss. Add sliced chicken on top. If you'd like a bit more sauce when tossing with pasta, add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce.
Notes
Any of the following would work as a substitute for Crème Fraîche:
Cream cheese thinned with a little cream (this is the recommended substitution for this recipe, using about 2 Tbsp. cream cheese with 1 Tbsp heavy cream).
Full-fat sour cream (Tip for Canadians! Gay Lea makes a “Gold” premium sour cream that is thick and higher in fat, so it is a great substitute for Crème Fraîche).
Sour cream mixed with a little cream cheese.
Full-fat Greek Yogurt.
Make your own Crème Fraîche by stirring together 1 cup of heavy cream with 2 Tablespoons of real buttermilk in a small jar. Cover with a paper towel and let it stand at room temperature for 18-24 hours, or until thickened. Seal the jar and refrigerate for 24 hours before using.