GARLIC MUSHROOM CHICKEN WITH TOMATO PESTO CREAM

Often times, I mill around the grocery store trying to find ingredients that will spark my creativity to experiment with a new recipe. I just happened to be picking up a few shallots and noticed on the shelf below, a jar of Melissa’s Sundried Tomato Pesto. So many flavors in one little jar. I immediately thought chicken! The rest just came together after that. I hope you enjoy this recipe for Garlic Mushroom Chicken with Tomato Pesto Cream as much as I enjoyed creating it! If you like this one, you will love my Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Stuffed Chicken.

Cut the chicken breasts in half and pound each piece down to about 1/2″ thickness. You can definitely substitute with chicken thighs. In a bowl, combine the chicken with the garlic, rosemary, pesto, crushed red pepper, salt/pepper, and chicken broth. Allow to marinate while you are preparing the mushrooms. While the mushrooms and chicken are cooking, prepare the pappardelle to al dente. Do NOT forget to salt your water.

Heat up a cast iron pan to medium/high. I love this one from Lodge. I highly suggest if you do not have a cast iron pan, get one. You will love cooking in it! Add in the mushrooms and cook down with a touch of kosher salt. Remove from pan and reserve.

In the same pan you cooked the mushrooms in, add a touch of olive oil and the chicken breasts from the marinade…cook through and brown on both sides. Remove and reserve. To the same pan, add the shallots and cook for about a minute.

Add the marinade to the pan with the shallots and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom. Simmer and allow the mixture to reduce to about half. This should take about ten minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, reduce heat and whisk in the butter and heavy whipping cream.

Add the chicken and mushrooms to the sauce along with swirls of the pasta. Coat everything with the sauce and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. ENJOY this Garlic Mushroom Chicken with Tomato Pesto Cream!