Dairy-Free Creamy Pesto Chicken (with cashew sauce)

My recipe for dairy-free pesto chicken features a pan-seared, tender chicken breast in a silky cashew cream sauce. I stir the pesto in at the end, off the heat, so it stays bright green and tastes like fresh basil. Make something starchy to go underneath, because there is a lot of sauce.

In my dairy-free pesto chicken recipe, I add the pesto to the pan at the end, off the heat. That one bit of timing is what separates this creamy pesto chicken from a pan of muddy green sauce: the basil stays vivid and grassy instead of cooking down into something flat and olive-colored.

Underneath it is a cashew cream, just store-bought, raw cashew butter whisked with water. It simmers into something silky that thickens without turning heavy, which matters here, because a rich cream base would bury the pesto rather than carry it. Cherry tomatoes go in for color and a pop of sweetness against all that herb.

It comes together in about 30 minutes and disappears just as fast at my table, kids included. Leftovers taste great the next day.

What is cashew pesto cream sauce?

My recipe is a thick, silky cream sauce flavored with basil pesto, and it makes more than you think. Trust the amount. Once everyone sits down and starts spooning it over their rice, it goes fast.

The cream part is raw cashew butter, which is exactly what it sounds like: peanut butter made with cashews instead, whisked with water. On its own, it pours like milk. As it simmers, it thickens and turns creamy, which is where the sauce gets its body, no roux required.

Serving ideas

All of the sauce in this recipe really wants something underneath it. Basmati rice is what I make most often, since it soaks up the sauce without competing with the basil. Mashed potatoes are another good option. Roasted potatoes work well too, and the crispy edges catch the sauce nicely.

Tap stars to rate!

4.75 stars (8 ratings)

Dairy-Free Creamy Pesto Chicken (with cashew sauce)

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Rate Print

• Pin

Remove Ads

Chicken in a silky cashew cream sauce, with the pesto stirred in at the end, off the heat, so it stays bright green and tastes like fresh basil. Make something starchy to go underneath, because there is a lot of sauce.

Add to Preferred Sources

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 medium chicken breasts
• ▢ 2 teaspoons EACH: garlic powder and onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 4 tablespoons raw cashew butter (see notes)
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups water
• ▢ 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons dairy-free pesto
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions 

• Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan with high sides. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
  4 medium chicken breasts, 2 teaspoons EACH: garlic powder and onion powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil
• While the chicken is cooking, mix the cashew butter with the water. Pour this over the chicken then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. (see notes) Let the chicken simmer for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
  4 tablespoons raw cashew butter, 1 ¾ cups water, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto and lemon juice.
  3 tablespoons dairy-free pesto, 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Notes

If you have a high-powered blender you can make your own cashew butter. Blend 2 cups of raw cashews with 1 tablespoon of oil until creamy. You’ll have 1 cup of cashew butter and the extra will keep for many weeks in your fridge.

If the sauce gets a little too thick, thin it with a splash of water.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 455kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 11g (4%), Protein: 53g (106%), Fat: 22g (34%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 146mg (49%), Sodium: 970mg (42%), Potassium: 1198mg (34%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 873IU (17%), Vitamin C: 31mg (38%), Calcium: 57mg (6%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.