I love my meals served layered in a bowl! Sometimes it's just easier to dive into this way! But I also love the versatility and that's exactly what you're getting with these Pesto Chicken Thighs! So many fun ways to eat this dish! Hearty and delish...you'll love these different combos!
These Pesto Chicken Thighs didn't start out being so versatile. Nope - they sure didn't! When I first started making this recipe, I served these Pesto Chicken Thighs over rice. And they were delish and perfect for a quick dinner. But you know...sometimes I like to switch things up a bit. Especially when I have leftovers like green beans, broccoli and sweet potatoes in the refrigerator that I don't want to go to waste.
But let's clear the air for a minute. There is nothing wrong with serving these Pesto Chicken Thighs over a bed of rice. In fact, it's the only way my son eats this dish. And my daughter likes to eat the Pesto Chicken Thighs over noodles. That's what I mean when I say this recipe is versatile! So many ways to eat these!
Oh...did I mention that this Pesto Chicken Thighs recipe is a crockpot meal? Another reason to fall in love! Let that crockpot do all the work! Oh...and did I tell you that these Pesto Chicken Thighs make for a great freezer meal? Yep - another win! Not only is this recipe versatile, but it's made in a crockpot and can be frozen to eat at a later time! And I so get it...you're busy! So go ahead and make life easy on yourself by preparing these ahead of time and freeze them for another day!
Versatility...let's talk about that for a minute so you understand what I mean when I say it's so versatile.
You can:
- Serve these Chicken Pesto Thighs over rice
- Serve these Chicken Pesto Thighs over noodles
- Serve these Chicken Pesto Thighs over mashed potatoes (my Homemade Mashed Potatoes are excellent with this dish)
- Serve these Chicken Pesto Thighs in a bowl over rice with 2 of your favorite vegetables
- For a low-carb option, skip the rice, noodles and potatoes and serve these Chicken Pesto Thighs on their own with a salad or your favorite vegetable
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We're talking 5 different ways to eat this yumminess! It just doesn't get any better than that! Oh...wait, maybe it does! Did I tell you this recipe is gluten-free? And let's talk nutritional value...you've got the perfect combination of carbs, healthy fat and protein! Balance - another thing that this recipe offers!
Don't forget the convenience factor! Let's talk convenience for a minute because your time is important! It is perfectly fine to buy a store-bought jar of pesto when making this recipe. There are days when I'm in a rush and I need to get out the door and I don't have time to make my homemade Pesto Sauce. So cut yourself some slack and use your favorite jar version of pesto sauce for this dish.
But if you want to get creative, it's SO easy to make Pesto Sauce! Pesto Sauce is super versatile because it can be made so many ways! Like in this recipe for Walnut Pesto or my Tarragon Basil Pesto.
Right now, I'm on a bowl kick. I don't know why but I'm really enjoying taking a bunch of my favorite foods and combining them in a bowl. It's a burst of different flavors all at once and it's fabulous!
Regardless of how you decide to serve these Pesto Chicken Thighs, top them off with some fresh Parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley and you'll have yourself the most amazing dinner! And I guarantee, everyone's going to love this recipe! Happy Eats, friends!
Pesto Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless
- 6 oz Pesto Sauce
- 1 packet Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
- ½ cup Chicken Broth
- Parmesan Cheese, (optional)
- Fresh Chopped Parsley, (optional)
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs on the bottom of the crockpot. Pour the pesto, Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix and chicken broth on top of the chicken thighs in the crockpot.
- Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
- Place the top on the crock pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until an internal meat thermometer registers at 165°F.
- When done, serve the chicken over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Drizzle 2-3 spoonfuls of the pesto sauce mixture over the chick and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
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Lois. O
Pesto and chicken is always a winning recipe! I love that you made it in a crock pot. This recipe will be very handy for one of those busy days when all you have time for is to chuck things into a pot.
Amanda Mason
Yep - love these crockpot meals!
Jennifer
Love everything about this recipe! The crockpot, the flavors, the ability to freeze for later...love it! I think I'll serve mine over spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice!!
Amanda Mason
Good items to serve this over!! It's definately versatile!
Carol Borchardt
Thanks so much for this idea! We're getting ready to plant our herb bed in the very near future and still have tons of basil pesto in our freezer from last year! This is the perfect way to use it!
Amanda Mason
Yes! I think you'll enjoy this recipe!
prasanna hede
omg! Sound of this itself is so tempting...chicken on top of mashed potato, with pesto and cheesseee yummmm.
Amanda Mason
I hope you enjoy!
Claire
This looks so packed full of flavour!
I think it would be delicious stuffed into soft flour tortillas 😀
Amanda Mason
Now that's a method I haven't tried before! But this recipe is so versatile that I guarantee it would be delish!
Jordan
It may be basic of me, but I love chicken and rice. No matter what the flavors are! I've never thought to do pesto with chicken thighs but it's genius! Trying ASAP.
Amanda Mason
Yes! I agree! Chicken and Rice is basic but this is the recipe to spice things up a bit! It's FULL of flavor!
Amanda Mason
I guarantee you will love this recipe!!
Mother of 3
Oooh! This sounds so good and quick and easy! We often have pesto with chicken but I never thought of adding ranch dressing with it. I bet that is an amazing flavor combination. Pinned.
Paige
This looks like a great base recipe to use for a lot of different menus! Sounds delicious too!
Amanda Mason
It's a keeper, that's for sure!
Kiki Johnson
You can never have enough chicken recipes and given that we ALWAYS tend to have that half-full jar of pesto sitting in our fridge, this recipe is perfect for us. I would have to find a way to substitute the seasoning you are using, but it should not be difficult to find the list of ingredients online! Thanks for sharing.
Amanda Mason
TO be honest, you don't have to use the ranch dressing packet. The chicken thighs, chicken broth and pesto is plenty flavorful. The addition of the ranch dressing packet give it that zing though and it does add a lot more flavor!
Gloria
Ok...so chicken thighs (win), pesto (win), crockpot (huge win)....noodles, rice or mashed potatoes....WIN WIN WIN. What is there not to like about this delicious dinner. This would be great any night of the week.
Amanda Mason
Thanks! You will love this dish!!