Chicken and Pesto Rice With Peas
Updated March 20, 2026
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Ready In
- 45 min
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and black pepper
Crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium white or yellow onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
4 cups/32 ounces chicken broth
¾ cup store-bought or homemade pesto, plus more for serving
10 ounces frozen peas
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil, for serving
1 lemon, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
70 grams carbs; 149 milligrams cholesterol; 677 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1123 milligrams sodium; 43 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Step 2
Season the chicken pieces with about 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper, plus a pinch of crushed red pepper.
- Step 3
Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Let oil heat up for a few minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the chicken is slightly browned but not fully cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Step 4
Add the onion, garlic and about 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high. Add the rice, broth and pesto to the pot; stir to combine. Cover until it comes to a boil, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 5
Remove the pot from heat and stir the chicken and any juices into the rice. Place the pot, covered, into the oven and bake until the rice and chicken are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Step 6
Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the peas. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the peas to cook and the rice to get creamy.
- Step 7
Serve topped with fresh basil, a squeeze of lemon and more pesto.
Private Notes
Comments
Rather than baking, after sauteing the garlic and onions, place rice, _half_ the liquid, chicken and peas in the instant pot for 4 minutes. Rest 2 minutes and quick release the remaining pressure. No need to heat up the kitchen with the oven.
I made this exactly as described. With store-bought pesto. Thank you for this recipe. This is going in my ‘suitable for guests’ category. Will make often.
Recipe of tonight with half the rice and therefore half the broth. Kept all proportions the same otherwise and perfect. A touch longer in the oven for 4 min and good to go.
This was delicious. Followed another commenter’s suggestion and added mushrooms. Almost like a pesto risotto - very homey and comforting while also flavorful and fresh. The fresh lemon juice and basil take it to the next level. Next time I will experiment with cooking in a different order so as to not to have to remove the chicken. I’m thinking sautee the onions and garlic, then add chicken and mushrooms, then add rice and broth. Will add this to the regular rotation for sure.
Agree with the many comments-keep the amount of chicken and peas, halve the rice (and salt). Would be great with mushrooms or green beans. I made this with my homemade pesto and it was great-I was worried the cheese plus boiling water would be a problem but it was delicious. My 11 year old wolfed it down
I used orzo instead of rice, and it was delicious. I don't think you can really go wrong with this recipe! To bulk it up for a large family, I may add extra peas and chopped spinach next time. Thanks for a great basic recipe!