The Chicken Pesto Recipe

Prepare sunflower seeds

Place 1/2 cup sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Blend pesto

In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine toasted sunflower seeds, 2 cups packed basil leaves, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves (peeled), 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse to chop, then stream in 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil while blending until a smooth but slightly textured sauce forms. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed. Transfer pesto to a bowl and set aside.

Prep chicken and tomatoes

Pat 4 chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Halve or quarter 300 g cherry tomatoes (depending on size) and zest the lemon; reserve lemon for finishing and juice for the pesto already used.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil shimmers, add chicken breasts (work in batches if needed). Sear until golden, about 4–5 minutes per side, then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F), about another 4–6 minutes depending on thickness. Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest 5 minutes.

Sauté tomatoes

In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if pan is dry. Add halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and begin to blister, 4–6 minutes. If the pan is very dry, add a splash (1 tbs) of water to loosen fond. Return chicken to the pan briefly to warm and mingle with tomato juices for 1 minute, spooning tomatoes over the breasts.

Finish and serve

Slice or keep breasts whole. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of nut-free pesto over each chicken breast (reserve extra pesto for serving). Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a little lemon zest, and scatter reserved basil leaves and optional chili flakes over the dish. Serve immediately.

If desired, drizzle any remaining pesto on the plate, add extra basil leaves for freshness and sprinkle chili flakes to taste.