Crispy Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Cannellini Beans

Name: Crispy Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Cannellini Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 large chicken breast; panko breadcrumbs; plain flour; 1 egg; handful of cherry tomatoes; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans; 2 heaped tbsp creme fraiche; freshly grated parmesan, to serve; 30g basil; 75g pistachios; 45g parmesan; 75ml olive oil; juice of 1 lemon; 2 garlic cloves, grated

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This easy, weeknight-friendly recipe for Crispy Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Cannellini Beans takes just 35 minutes to make from start to finish! Breaded chicken pieces are baked in the oven while you make a creamy white bean and cherry tomato base, all ready to be piled into a bowl with a generous dollop of homemade basil and pistachio pesto - the perfect way to enjoy chicken, tomatoes and white beans for dinner but with a delicious, unique twist!

Sliced breaded chicken breast in a bowl of white beans with tomatoes and basil.

Close up of a white shallow casserole with creamy beans and cherry tomatoes drizzled with pesto.

When it comes to simple dinners, chicken served with cherry tomatoes, white beans and basil has become a modern classic. Usually these Italian-style flavours come roasted all in one pan in the oven (and that would make a delicious dinner), but we've decided to stray slightly from the classic format so you can enjoy super crispy chicken and ultra creamy beans... all on the same plate!

And did we mention that this recipe for crispy chicken with cannellini beans is super customisable? We've included options for different beans and proteins below, as well as some important intel on jarred vs. tinned beans (are they really worth the money??) as well as some more ideas of what do do with the super tasty basil and pistachio pesto you'll be making to bring all the flavours of this meal together.

Let's get started!

Ingredients

large chicken breast
panko breadcrumbs
plain flour (also sold as all purpose flour)
egg
cherry tomatoes (we think mixed colours look really pretty in this dish!)
garlic cloves
cannellini beans (or any other plump white bean)
creme fraiche (or your favourite dairy-free substitute!)
parmesan (or pecorino or grand padano, if they're what you have on hand)
fresh basil
pistachios (we LOVE the flavour and vibrancy of pistachios in a homemade pesto, but feel free to substitute some or all of them with almonds or cashews to make the pesto more affordable)
olive oil (a mild one as you're using it to make the pesto)
juice of 1 lemon

White beans and cherry tomatoes being cooked in a shallow casserole dish.

A pan of creamy white beans cooked with cherry tomatoes drizzled with pesto, in a bowl next to the pan.

Using Jarred vs. Tinned Beans

If you've followed many of our recipes you'll know we usually reach for jarred beans... but this recipe actually used tinned beans and we would not change a thing (and as this recipe already contains chicken and pistachios, every penny counts!)

But, that being said we're still massive fans of Bold Bean Co.'s organic white beans (as well as all of their other varieties of jarred beans!) as they come perfectly seasoned and wonderfully soft and plump. If you're in love with jarred beans as much as we are (which means you have lots of jars in the house instead of tins) feel free to use them here - the drained weight of beans you'll need for this recipe is 240g, and feel free to add some of that delicious bean stock from the jar along with the creme fraiche to help get things nice and creamy!

If you're not sure which to buy, Cynical Vegan has done a really informative taste test comparing different brands of jarred and tinned beans (including supermarket own brands) which also discusses what ingredients / additives each contain, and the traceability / sustainability of the beans where the information is available.

Breaded chicken cutlets on a lined baking tray being brushed with a bowl of oil.

Close up of a grey bowl of homemade basil pesto.

What else can I serve these Creamy Tomato & Basil Cannellini Beans with?

Fat, juicy roasted sausages
Roasted chicken thighs with crispy skins
Melty Mozzarella Parcels (Carrozza)
Fillets of white fish (we love hake!) pan fried in good butter

And what about the Basil & Pistachio Pesto?

It would be delicious stirred through homemade pici pasta
Serve a dollop alongside roast chicken thighs
Spoon it over some crispy potatoes
Loosen it with a little more oil and drizzle it over our Whipped Ricotta and Tomato Tart
Use it as a sandwich spread: it would work great in our Caprese Sandwich with Prosciutto, our Roast Chicken, Bacon & Pesto Sandwich, or our Mortadella, Burrata and Focaccia Sandwich

Grey bowl of white beans and cherry tomatoes topped with a sliced crispy chicken cutlet.

Tray of cooked crispy chicken cutlets topped with grated parmesan next to dishes of creamy tomato beans and homemade basil pesto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these beans still good without the chicken on top?

Yes! Seriously, they're really the star of the show. Don't get us wrong, we LOVE the chicken, but the beans are so creamy and delicious by themselves they'd make an easy dinner with perhaps some crusty bread on the side.

Can this recipe for crispy chicken with cannellini beans be scaled up? And what about leftovers?

This is easily scaled, you just might want to use a regular casserole dish instead of a shallow one or a large frying pan to fit all the beans. As for leftovers, the beans are great warmed through and piled onto toast for lunch the next day, and the crispy chicken pieces make great sandwiches. In fact, if your baking sheet is large enough you should make extras to do just this!