Chicken Pesto Rice Bowl (Print Version)

Vibrant bowl of tender pesto chicken, warm rice, and fresh tomatoes. Italian-inspired comfort food ready in 35 minutes.

# Components:

→ Chicken

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

→ Pesto

05 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

→ Rice

07 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, warm

→ Toppings

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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Season chicken pieces evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
03 - Reduce heat to low and add basil pesto to the skillet. Stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until chicken is evenly coated and pesto is warmed through.
04 - Divide warm rice evenly among four serving bowls.
05 - Top each rice bowl with pesto-coated chicken, diced tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts if desired.
06 - Garnish each bowl with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but you'll be eating in half that time.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting, turning plain chicken and rice into something vibrant and satisfying.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables or toppings you have on hand and it still works beautifully.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels indulgent but leaves you energized, not weighed down.
02 -
  • Don't add the pesto over high heat or it can turn bitter and lose its bright green color, low heat is your friend here.
  • If your rice is cold from the fridge, warm it up first or the whole bowl will cool down too fast and the pesto won't melt into it.
  • Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so they all finish cooking at the same time and you don't end up with some dry and some undercooked.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for two to three minutes, watching closely because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • Use day-old rice if you have it, it holds its shape better in the bowl and doesn't get mushy when you stir in the warm chicken.
  • Taste your pesto before adding it, some store-bought versions are saltier than others and you may want to go easy on the Parmesan.
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