One Pot Pesto Chicken with Rice
This vibrant and flavorful One Pot Pesto Chicken with Rice combines basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, lemon, toasted pine nuts, and crumbled goat cheese in a single pan. It's a colorful, delicious, and easy one-pan meal that’s perfect for any day.
Ingredients
- 450 g chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion sliced
- 350 g long-grain white rice
- 450 ml chicken broth
- 100 g basil pesto homemade or store-bought
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 container cherry tomatoes
- 75 g crumbled goat cheese or feta
- 50 g toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the sliced red onion until softened, then add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- Stir in the rice, 2 tbsp of the pesto, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and the remaining chicken broth.
- Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the rice mixture, pouring any accumulated juices over the top. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the cherry tomatoes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is fully cooked.
- When done, drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of pesto over the chicken. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese or feta and toasted pine nuts.
- Serve warm and enjoy this delicious one-pot meal!
Notes
- For added flavor, you can use homemade pesto.
- Substitute goat cheese with feta if preferred.
- Adjust salt based on the saltiness of your broth.