Creamy Pesto Chicken
Published February 19, 2024 • Updated March 7, 2026
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Seared, oat fiber-crusted chicken thighs I braise in a rich cream sauce with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and parmesan.
I started making this after getting bored with my usual pesto chicken routine. Don’t get me wrong, seared chicken with pesto on top is solid. But I wanted something richer, with a real sauce you could spoon over cauliflower rice and actually feel like you were eating a full meal. So I built a thick cream sauce with pesto, garlic, parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes, and it changed the whole dish.
What makes this keto pesto chicken different
- Golden oat fiber crust that locks in moisture. Most recipes just sear the chicken bare. I coat mine in oat fiber first, which gives you a golden, crispy exterior with zero net carbs. The crust seals everything in while the chicken finishes braising in the sauce. You get tender, juicy chicken every single time. If you like this coating technique, I use something similar in my keto chicken casserole.
- A pesto cream sauce with real depth. I don’t just toss chicken in jarred pesto. I build the sauce from scratch in the same skillet: butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, a pinch of red pepper flakes, then chicken broth, heavy cream, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan. It’s savory with that little kick from the tomatoes and pepper flakes that plain pesto is missing. The sauce has a similar richness to my creamy garlic paprika shrimp, but with that bright basil flavor running through it.
- Low carb without tasting low carb. Instead of breadcrumbs or all-purpose flour, the oat fiber coating keeps this completely keto friendly. I’ve tested almond flour, lupin flour and pork panko as alternatives. Almond flour browns the fastest (watch it closely during searing), and pork panko gives the crunchiest texture. My husband didn’t even realize this was a low carb recipe until I told him.
I’ve been making this on weeknights when I want something that feels like a real dinner but doesn’t take forever. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, and I love that it’s a one-skillet situation (plus the oven finish). A reader named Katie said her husband ate three thighs and asked if there were more, and that tracks. I double the sauce now because everyone in my house fights over it.
If you’re into Italian-style keto dinners, try my Tuscan chicken pasta or my Italian chicken skillet for variety during the week. My boursin chicken has that same rich, cheesy thing going on if you want another option in the rotation.
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Ingredients
1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained -
3 tablespoons avocado oil
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2.5 pounds (~6) skinless, boneless chicken thighs
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1/4 cup oat fiber
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2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
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2 tablespoons butter
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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Pinch red pepper flakes
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1/2 cup chicken broth
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1 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/4 cup basil pesto
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1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Chop & preheat
Chop the sun dried tomatoes and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
Coat the chicken
Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add oat fiber to a shallow bowl. Coat all sides of the seasoned chicken with oat fiber until evenly coated.
- 2.5 pounds chicken breast or thighs
- salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup oat fiber or favorite breading
Sear the chicken
Add oil to a large skillet pre-heated to medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the skillet, add chicken to the skillet and sear on both sides until golden (about 3-5 minutes each side). It won’t be all the way cooked through – it will finish cooking in the oven. Remove the chicken and set on a plate. Sear the remaining chicken and remove to plate.
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
Seasoning base
To the same empty skillet, add butter, Italian seasoning, minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until golden (about 2 minutes).
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Finish the creamy pesto sauce
Stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cream, pesto and chopped sun dried tomatoes.
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Braise
Place seared chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Cover with sauce. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the top and transfer to the preheated 400 °F oven to cook (uncovered), for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
I've made this with both. Chicken breasts work, but they dry out faster since they're leaner. When I use breasts, I pound them to an even 3/4 inch thickness and cut the oven time to about 8-10 minutes. Thighs are more forgiving and stay juicier in that cream sauce, which is why I default to them.
What can I use in place of the oat fiber?
I've tested this with almond flour, lupin flour and pork panko. All three give you a nice crust. Almond flour browns the fastest, so I watch it closely during searing. Pork panko gives the crunchiest texture. Any of these keep the recipe low carb.
What kind of pesto works best?
I use store-bought basil pesto most of the time (Costco's Kirkland brand is my go-to). Homemade is great if you have it, but jarred pesto works perfectly here because the other sauce ingredients add so much flavor on their own. I've also tried it with arugula pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto, and both were good. The sun-dried tomato pesto doubles down on that tomato flavor.
Can I freeze this?
I freeze this all the time for meal prep. It holds up in the freezer for up to 3 months. My trick for reheating is to thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm it on the stove over low heat with a splash of cream stirred in. That keeps the sauce from breaking.
Does a splash of white wine work in this sauce?
A reader named Ryan started adding a splash of dry white wine with the chicken broth, and I tried it after reading his comment. It works. The acidity cuts through the cream and adds a brightness the broth alone doesn't give you. I use about 2 tablespoons, let it reduce for a minute before adding the cream. Not necessary, but I've started doing it more often than not.
Will bone-in thighs work?
I typically use boneless for this because the searing and braising time works so smoothly. But bone-in thighs will work with a time adjustment. They need about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees F instead of 10-15, so I'd add roughly 10 extra minutes in the oven and check with a thermometer for 165 degrees F at the thickest part. The oat fiber crust holds up through the longer braise either way.
Can I toast the oat fiber before dredging for a crispier crust?
A reader named Ryan started doing this and I tried it after he mentioned it. Toasting the oat fiber in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes before dredging gives the crust a nuttier flavor and it holds up better through the braise. I noticed less softening compared to using it raw. It adds one extra step, but I think it's worth it if you want the crispiest possible coating.
What do you serve with this?
My favorite is spooning all that sauce over cauliflower rice. I also love it with keto spaghetti or alongside my keto skillet lasagna when I'm going full Italian night. A simple side salad with lemon vinaigrette works too. I make this at least twice a week and rotate the sides so it doesn't get repetitive.
My mom made this creamy Italian chicken dish every Sunday growing up, and I figured that flavor was just gone when I went keto. The pesto cream sauce, especially with the sun-dried tomatoes, took me straight back to her kitchen. Sat there after my first bite just kind of quiet. This one's going in the Sunday rotation.
Didn't have oat fiber so I used almond flour for the coating and it still crisped up in the pan (honestly shocked it worked). The cream sauce came together way faster than I expected and I kept waiting for it to break, but it didn't, so now I'm thinking mushrooms go in next time.
Almond flour browns fast so pull it early. Mushrooms right before the cream goes in.
Third batch now and I finally tried chicken breast instead of thighs, nervous it wouldn't hold the sauce, but the pesto cream coated it just as well.
Breasts work, they just cook faster. I pound mine to 3/4 inch and pull them at 8-10 minutes or they dry out.
Subbed bone-in thighs because that's what I had and gave them an extra 8-10 minutes in the oven. The sauce reduced more than the recipe calls for and the chicken was pulling apart at the bone by the time I pulled it. The oat fiber crust kind of dissolved into the braising liquid, which sounds like a disaster, but it made the sauce freaking thick and rich in a way I wasn't expecting. One practical thing worth passing along: drain those sun-dried tomatoes really well and pat them dry with a paper towel too. The packing oil throws the sauce balance off if you skip that step, and I learned it the messy way first go-around. Doing it this way on purpose from here.
There was this little Italian place near my old apartment that made a pesto cream chicken I thought about for years after moving. Made this on a whim last week and the sun-dried tomatoes took me right back. Hadn't thought about that restaurant in forever.
The oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes were the last thing I dialed in on this one. Cut them back once and the sauce lost something I couldn't name. Glad this brought that place back.
Fourth time making this and I finally started toasting the oat fiber before dredging, which keeps the crust from softening through the braise. Threw a splash of dry white wine in with the chicken broth and the sauce got this brightness I wasn't expecting.
Toasting the oat fiber first, never thought to do that. The wine makes total sense though, that acidity punches through the cream in a way the broth alone doesn't.
Was skeptical about the oat fiber crust (I've had too many coatings just dissolve into the sauce) but it held its texture through the entire braise. The pesto and sun-dried tomatoes together make this richer than any cream chicken I've made at home. Four stars for now, but mostly because I want to try it with bone-in thighs before I commit.
The oat fiber holding through a full braise took me a few test runs to nail. For bone-in, bump the oven time to 20-25 minutes at 400. Report back.
Made this for the first time last weekend during a cold snap and had no idea it would be this good. The oat fiber crust on the chicken thighs browns in a way that made me stop and stare at the pan, like I'd finally done something right. The cream sauce reduces into something that feels completely over the top for a weeknight dinner. I'm annoyed it took me this long to try it.
That sear is why I landed on oat fiber over almond flour. Browns deep without burning, and the thighs handle the heat. Cold snap food.
husband ate three thighs and asked if there's more
Ha, that's the real test. I double the batch now because leftovers never make it past day one.