American
Pesto Chicken Florentine
Golden chicken cutlets rest in a garlic-white-wine spinach sauce enriched off heat with fresh basil, pine nut, and Parmesan pesto for vivid color and clean herbal flavor.
4 servings · 25 minutes prep · 25 minutes cook
Ingredients
Fresh Basil Pesto
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Chicken and Spinach
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into four even cutlets
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Process the Pesto Cool
- Pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and salt until finely chopped. With the machine running briefly, stream in the olive oil just until cohesive; stop before friction warms or purées the basil.
Sear and Rest the Chicken
- Season the chicken cutlets with the kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
- Sear for 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden and each center reaches 165°F / 74°C, inserting the thermometer from the side of thinner pieces. Transfer to a plate for 5 minutes; remove thinner cutlets as soon as they are ready.
Reduce the Pan Sauce and Wilt Spinach
- Lower the heat to medium and stir the sliced garlic in the skillet for 30 seconds without browning. Add the white wine and reduce for 3 minutes to about half, scraping up the chicken fond.
- Add the stock and spinach in three additions, turning just until each handful wilts. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes until the leaves are glossy and no watery pool remains.
Fold in Pesto Off Heat
- Remove the skillet from heat. Fold in 3/4 cup of the pesto and the lemon juice until the pan juices turn vivid green and emulsified; do not boil. The pesto makes about 1 cup. Transfer any unused pesto immediately to a clean covered container and refrigerate for no more than 4 days, or freeze promptly for longer storage.
- Return the chicken and accumulated juices, turn once to coat, and serve hot while the texture remains loose and spoonable. If the sauce separates, fold in 1 tablespoon warm water off heat rather than adding more oil. Within 2 hours, refrigerate the cooked chicken and spinach in shallow covered containers for up to 4 days. Reheat gently to 165°F / 74°C; expect the basil color to dull, and fold in any extra fresh pesto only after reheating.
