Chicken Pesto Rice Bowl (Printable Version)

Tender basil pesto chicken over warm rice with fresh tomatoes and toasted pine nuts. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Pesto

05 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
06 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, optional

→ Rice

07 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, warm

→ Toppings

08 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
09 - 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted, optional
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Season chicken pieces evenly with salt and black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
03 - Reduce heat to low, add basil pesto to the skillet, and stir continuously to coat chicken evenly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
04 - Divide warm rice equally among four serving bowls as the base layer.
05 - Distribute pesto chicken over rice in each bowl. Add diced tomatoes, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts if desired.
06 - Garnish each bowl with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately while rice is warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in less than 40 minutes but tastes like you put in way more effort.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor so you dont need a long ingredient list.
  • Its endlessly flexible and works with whatever vegetables or proteins you have on hand.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Dont add the pesto over high heat or it can separate and lose its vibrant color, keep the heat low once the chicken is cooked.
  • Warm rice is key because it soaks up the pesto and stays fluffy, cold rice will clump and wont absorb the flavors as well.
  • If your pesto tastes too intense straight from the jar, stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice or a splash of pasta water to mellow it out.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • Use leftover rotisserie chicken to make this even faster, just shred it and warm it through with the pesto.
  • Make a double batch of the pesto chicken and freeze half for an easy weeknight meal later, it reheats like a dream.
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