Crispy Skillet Chicken with Miso Sesame Pesto

Crispy Skillet Chicken with Miso-Sesame Pesto is a hearty, but healthy meal ready in 30 minutes or less! Crispy chicken thighs topped with fresh mozzarella and miso-sesame pesto is a scrumptious one-pot meal! “Savor the delectable fusion of flavors in Crispy Skillet Chicken with Miso Sesame Pesto. A mouthwatering dish that’s sure to impress.”

Well……what did you think?

I’m dying to know. Wait. You do watch the show don’t you? Oh, crap. Where are my manners? I blame the lack of coffee on this fine Monday morning.

What yours truly is speaking of is the start of Game of Thrones Season 7! YOU GUYS. I feel like I’ve waited an eternity for the season to premiere because they had to shoot during actual winter, which pushed back the original start date of April. I’m secretly torn between Mother of Dragons or Jon Snow taking over the throne. Can’t they be a duo of sorts? That might be wishful thinking.

I’m not going to giveaway any spoilers, but if you watched last night….let’s just say it’s going to be a phenomenal season! Come to think of it, today’s recipe is exactly what you will need to nosh on while you watch GOT over the next six weeks.

This Crispy Skillet Chicken  is hearty enough to help you survive a White Walker attack, but sassy enough to keep Cersei’s interested. The pesto is a new favorite because its base is geared toward umami. Ingredients like white miso paste, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, and rice wine vinegar provide the perfect balance. You’d never know there are zero pine nuts in this pesto!

Besides the pesto everything else comes together quickly. Sear the chicken in a trusty old cast iron skillet, cook until golden, yet juicy. And then top the chicken with fresh mozzarella and pesto. If you make this dish you might actually have a shot at the throne. Maybe.

Print Recipe

Crispy Skillet Chicken with Miso-Sesame Pesto

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

2 cups packed fresh basil

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp white miso

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 garlic cloves

3 tbsp unsalted butter

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

6 slices fresh mozzarella

Thai basil, for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a small food processor add the peanuts and basil. Pulse a few times until a pea sized mixture forms. Next add in the olive oil, sesame oil, miso, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Pulse until smooth. Pour the pesto into a bowl until ready to use.

In a large cast iron 10-inch skillet preheated to medium-heat melt the butter. Next, sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Take the thighs and place them skin side down into the skillet. Sear the chicken for about four minutes or until slightly golden brown on top. Flip, and sear the remaining side for about two minutes. Then slide the skillet into the oven and cook the chicken for about 20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and place a slice of mozzarella on top of each thigh. Place the skillet back into the oven to finish cooking the chicken while letting the cheese melt on top for about 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Garnish the tops of each chicken thigh with some of the miso-sesame pesto and Thai basil. Serve individually or family style. Enjoy!

pesto adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

All images and text ©Lauren Grier for The Curious Plate

Conclusion: “Elevate your dining experience with Crispy Skillet Chicken with Miso Sesame Pesto, a tantalizing blend of crispy chicken and flavorful pesto.”