This Pesto Chicken and Vegetables Skillet is a delicious 30 minute dinner, perfect for meal prep and packed with 34 grams of protein!
We also love to make sheet pan chicken and veggies and Mediterranean chicken skillet for quick dinners.
I have been making homemade pesto on repeat this summer and am always looking for ways to incorporate it into our dinners. It has so much flavor, it’s almost a no brainer to take lean protein and veggies and “seal the deal” with pesto.
Pesto chicken with veggies is the ultimate healthy dinner for those crazy back-to-school nights or when you just can’t be bothered to cook. Just toss it together when you’re short on time and pair it with whatever you’ve got!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy and fast: A speedy skillet meal packed with protein, veggies, and a healthy sauce.
- One pan wonder: Less cleanup with everything cooked in a single pan.
- Versatile: Switch up the vegetables and pair it with any side dish you like.
- Flavorful: Out of all the chicken recipes I’ve made, this one’s a top pick for flavor with just a short, easy ingredient list.
Ingredients for Pesto Chicken and Vegetables Skillet
To make this recipe you will need a few fresh ingredients, pantry staples, and your favorite pesto sauce.
- Chicken: I cut skinless boneless chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces, but you can also use chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Bell peppers: Grab 2 large peppers in any color. I went with orange and red bell peppers because they’re sweeter.
- Onion: Coarsely chop some white or red onion based on what you like best.
- Zucchini: I chopped up 1 large zucchini to get 4 cups, but if yours are smaller, you might need a couple to get the same amount.
- Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work best for skillet meals because they hold their shape.
- Pesto: I whip up my homemade pesto in just 5 minutes, and it tastes so much better than store-bought. But if you have a jar from the store, that works too.
- Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing.
- Salt and pepper: To season vegetables and chicken to taste. Just a bit to bring out their own flavors.
How to Make Chicken and Vegetables Skillet
This pesto chicken and vegetables skillet is a breeze to make! Just prep everything before you start cooking and you’ll be all set.
- Saute onion and peppers: Heat a large skillet over medium-high and swirl in 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Toss in the bell peppers and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring twice. Then, transfer everything to a large bowl.
- Cook the zucchini: Add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then toss in the zucchini with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring twice, and transfer to the bowl with the peppers.
- Blister the tomatoes: Heat the skillet again, add grape tomatoes, and cook for 2 minutes until they start to blister. Transfer to the bowl.
- Cook the chicken: Add the remaining oil to the skillet, then the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to let it brown, then stir in 3 tablespoons of pesto.
- Combine and finish: Add the cooked bell peppers, zucchini, and grape tomatoes, plus the remaining pesto. Stir and cook for another minute.
Tips for Best Results
Here are my top tips for making this incredibly flavorful chicken and veggie skillet!
- Use large enough skillet: Use a 12-inch pan with tall sides and go for a non-stick skillet, it works best. Avoid using a wok as it steams the food.
- Make sure everything is dry: Both the chicken and veggies after washing so they sear nicely instead of steaming. It also helps reduce splattering and cooks them more evenly.
- Allow meat and veggies to sear: Don’t stir too often. Give it time to create a delicious caramelized crust on the meat and a perfect bite on the veggies.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables: Keep the peppers and onions with a bit of crunch, and make sure the zucchini and tomatoes don’t turn mushy.
- Adjust salt to taste: Store-bought pesto will be more salty than homemade pesto. After searing all veggies with salt and adding pesto and mixing, taste test and if necessary add more salt. I didn’t have to.
Serving Ideas
This dish is pretty filling on its own. I enjoyed mine garnished with fresh Parmesan and a side of arugula, while my growing teenager had a big pile of Instant Pot jasmine rice.
You can also serve it with quinoa, crispy parmesan potatoes, steamed green beans, or pasta and garlic bread for some extra comfort. Whatever keeps the family happy!
How to Store
Store: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, it’ll stay good for up to 5 days. Great for meal prep!
Freeze: You can store the chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months, but the veggies don’t freeze well. Instead, reheat them for a quick side dish, toss them into an omelet or grain bowl, or use them in a wrap or sandwich.
Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water or chicken broth.
FAQs
You can mix in a variety of mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, snap peas, and asparagus.
Absolutely, you can use skinless boneless chicken thighs instead. Pat them dry then cut into equal bite-size pieces.
Feel free to use cubes of pork tenderloin, shrimp, chunks of steak, or go with crispy tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian option.
Yes, chop the veggies and chicken and store them separately. When you’re ready, just follow the recipe as usual.
More Skillet Dinner Recipes to Try
- Caprese chicken zucchini skillet
- Garlic chicken, zucchini and corn
- Pesto ground turkey and zucchini skillet
- Pesto chicken breast
- Chicken and tomatoes
- Chicken and mushrooms
Pesto Chicken and Vegetables Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large bell peppers coarsely chopped
- 1 white or red onion coarsely chopped
- 1 large zucchini coarsely chopped (4 cups)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup pesto divided
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for sauteing
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat large skillet on medium-high heat and swirl 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add bell peppers and onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Return skillet to heat and add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil, zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer to a bowl with peppers.
- Return skillet to heat, add grape tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until blistered a bit. Transfer to a bowl with peppers and zucchini.
- Return skillet to heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to coat. Add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring only a few times and allowing to brown. Add 3 tablespoons of pesto and stir.
- Add previously cooked bell peppers, zucchini, grape tomatoes and remaining 3 tablespoons of pesto. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese on its own or with arugula, rice or pasta.
Video
Notes
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in a microwave or on the stove with a bit of water or broth until heated through.
- Freeze: Chicken does freeze well but not the veggies.
We love this recipe at my house, I’ve made it several times. Last time with a combo of chicken and Italian sausage. Thanks for turning me on to pesto! The magic seasoning – everything it touches turns delicious!
So nice of you to say, so happy you loved it! Thank you for the rating! I am about to make a last batch of my homemade pesto before it gets really cold.
love all the colors and flavors. used homemade pesto left over from pizzas earlier in the week. served over arugula.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Made this for dinner last night & it was fantastic ! You have a wonderful talent for combining flavors! I’ve enjoyed so many of your recipes, but don’t always remember to leave reviews. Hubby always remarks how good dinner is when I use one of your recipes !
So nice of you to say, so happy you and your husband loved it! I do love cooking a lot.:) Thank you for the rating!