A handy one pan mean, this cast iron pesto chicken and artichoke comes together easily and packs a ton of flavors great for summer! Make the most of the fresh summer artichokes roasted with lemon and coriander and finished with a brush of pesto!

*tap tap tap* Is this thing on? Hi! I realize that it has been a little quiet around these parts, and I am sorry! But summer is in full swing, I’ve been traveling, I’ve been working, and I have been taking the time for me whenever I can.

And with it being 90 plus degrees, I’ve also been avoiding cooking indoors whenever I can.

But this recipe is special, and it does require an oven, but I promise it is worth it. I’m even sure someone snappy among you could totally do this on the grill, too!

So,with it being summer, I am trying to take a little more time for my off-line life than my online one. Posts have been sporadic, and when traffic is down on the blog, it’s a good chance to focus on things beside my presence here. It’s not to say that my blog is not a priority, but that for these precious few months while Emmett is a baby (and growing way to fast before our eyes), my limited amounts of time with him on a daily basis are focused on him and not my adventures in the kitchen.

This limits my time on the weekends to, balancing time with him, with my commitments to my stove, and actually finding time to relax from my real 9-5’er job. Things will only be getting more busy on that front, and I have come to accept that things here will ebb and flow as needed to ensure that I remain sane.

Roasted chicken drumsticks and artichokes on plate

One of the most challenging things for me to reconcile with is that I can not do it all. And when I try to put on a good face, while continuously drowning in the “woulda, coulda, shoulda”‘s of life, I am no good to anyone if I am not taking care of myself and centered in my responsibilities of work, life, momming, wifing, and being a kind human being.

I can’t keep up with the Instagram perfect life, and why should I? My goals here are to be a functioning human that shares my life with you, and that shows you my day to day, in it’s realness, glory, hardships, and fun. Right now, I am loving life, and the pace that it is carrying me. If you haven’t seen this yet, my friend Julie wrote an amazing blog post on the Instagram Life, and why it sucks.

The more “present” side of me is also determined to take back my life, and make it more real, less Instagram perfect, less orchestrated, less curated, and more honest, real, fun, and more ME. Food is my passion (of which my jeans clearly agree…), but so is my family. My perfect food photos are one way I exhibit what I truly enjoy doing with food, but I never want anyone to assume perfection is the key to happiness, and perfection is not something I wish to convey. This time off, and the quieter moments have really helped me as I have grappled with where does the blog go from here? If you’re new to Country Cleaver, you might know I started this blog 8 years ago! That’s a second grader! Our life has changed from where we began, our goals of where we wanted to end up have altered, but in the end my goal of being me has always stayed true.

Ingredients for Cast Iron Pesto Chicken and Artichokes

  • Olive Oil
  • Chicken Legs
  • Chicken Thighs
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Coriander powder
  • Whole Artichokes
  • Lemons
  • Pesto
  • White Wine
  • Chicken Stock
Roasted chicken drumsticks and artichokes in a skillet

There is an inherent “rat race” to the blogging industry (we can’t get away from it any longer – it is an industry), that has morphed from what it was when we began – as a way to share our recipes with friends and family, and share our content amongst each other as bloggers – to a multimedia industry that requires recipe videos, schedulers, platforms for all social media channels, and TEAMS to make one blog happen! And that is just to keep up, let alone stand out.

So what do we, or more specifically *I* do? For now, in this season of life, I’m going to do what I know. Make recipes, share my stuff, and hope that somewhere the universe sees fit to show it to you and make an impression. Hopefully, it will touch you too, and fill your bellies and heart. It’s just what I know how to do.

This cast iron pesto chicken and artichokes is a wonderful dish for a family weeknight meal, or something special when guests come over. It is bright and lively without being too heavy for a good solid dinner. Pair it with a gruner wine to really set off a summer night on the back deck!

Inspired Homemade Recipes To Try

https://homemadehome.com/roasted-red-pepper-pesto-parmesan-stuffed-artichoke/

https://homemadehome.com/simple-artichoke-pasta-salad/

https://homemadehome.com/pesto-chicken-pasta-skillet-asparagus-tomatoes/

https://homemadehome.com/chicken-artichoke-lasagna/

https://homemadehome.com/roasted-tomato-cucumber-pesto-sandwich/

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Skillet Chicken and Artichoke with lemons

Cast Iron Pesto Chicken and Artichokes

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  • Author: Megan Keno
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A handy one pan meal, this cast iron pesto chicken and artichoke comes together easily and packs a ton of flavors great for summer! Make the most of the fresh summer artichokes roasted with lemon and coriander and finished with a brush of pesto!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 Chicken Legs
  • 4 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin on
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 2 Large Whole Artichokes
  • 2 Lemons, quartered
  • 1/2 cup Pesto
  • 1/2 cup White Wine
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Stock

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Prepare artichokes, by trimming bottom to the last 1″ from the artichoke. Quarter the artichokes, and with a knife and spoon, remove the feathering inside and discard.
  3. Drizzle the artichokes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, and with half of the coriander. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the chicken thighs and legs by patting them dry and seasoning them with salt, pepper, and remaining coriander.
  5. Heat 12″ cast iron skillet with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, and sear the chicken thighs, skin down, until they are crispy, about 4 minutes. Flip and sear another 2. Remove and then repeat with the chicken legs.
  6. Nestle all of the chicken and artichokes into the skillet, pouring the white wine and chicken stock into the bottom of the pan. It may simmer briefly.
  7. Nestle four of the lemon wedges into the chicken and artichokes. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches at least 165 and the artichoke hearts become tender.
  8. Brush the chicken and artichokes with the pesto at the end. And serve.