Pesto chicken stew

Name: Pesto chicken stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 700 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-size pieces; 1 tbsp. plain flour; 1 tbsp. vegetable oil; 150 g smoked pancetta lardons; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm rounds; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 200 mL dry white wine; 400 mL hot chicken stock; 200 g frozen peas or petits pois; 200 g full-fat cream cheese; 4 tbsp. basil pesto; finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon; 3 spring onions, finely sliced

This stew can be enjoyed as is, or is great for batch cooking and freezing so you always have a home cooked meal to hand.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamUpdated: 02 January 2024

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This delicious pesto chicken stew is full of spring flavours and plenty of greens, making it the perfect option for a weeknight dinner.

Better yet, it can be batch cooked and then frozen to ensure you always have a nutritious, homemade meal to hand.

Endlessly versatile, this stew can be enjoyed by itself for a light lunch, or bolstered with freshly-baked bread or baby roast potatoes and salad.

Head here to find all of Good Housekeeping's favourite chicken recipes in one place.

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Yields:

6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

55 mins

Cal/Serv:

493

Ingredients

700 g
chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp.
plain flour
1 Tbsp.
vegetable oil
150 g
smoked pancetta lardons
2
carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm rounds
3
garlic cloves, crushed
200 ml
dry white wine
400 ml
hot chicken stock
200 g
frozen peas or petits pois
200 g
full-fat cream cheese
4 Tbsp.
basil pesto
finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
3
spring onions, finely sliced

Directions

1. Step 1In a medium bowl, combine chicken pieces with flour and some seasoning and toss to coat. Heat oil in large pan over medium heat and brown the chicken all over, in batches if necessary. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
2. Step 2Add lardons to the pan and cook until golden and crisp. Add carrots and garlic and cook for 2min, until fragrant. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan. Bubble to reduce by 1/2.
3. Step 3Return chicken to the pan with the stock. Bubble for 15min, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid reduced.
4. Step 4Stir in the peas or petits pois and cook for 2min, until tender. Stir through the cream cheese, pesto, lemon zest and juice and spring onions. Serve.

Freeze ahead: Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month. To serve, defrost overnight in fridge then reheat gently until piping hot.