Grilled Pesto Chicken, tender and juicy boneless chicken breasts coated with homemade nut-free basil pesto for the most aromatic meal. It uses just 2-ingredient and it's both low-carb and low-fat. Don't have a grill, no worries, I'm including instructions to bake it in the oven.
Always a crowd-pleasing recipe that's been in my family's recipe rotation for years.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Grilled chicken with pesto is quick, easy, and affordable.
- No grill, no worries, we include baking instructions
Ingredient List
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- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Basil Pesto: While we use my nut-free basil pesto, a store-made basil pesto can be used.
Equipment
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Preheat the grill
- Brush basil pesto on all sides of the chicken breasts.
- Grill chicken breasts for about 5 minuter on each side.
- Let chicken rest for about 4-5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Eileen's Tips for Success
- The poultry will take about 10-12 minutes to cook and the internal temperature should be 165°F.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer for accuracy.
- For easy grilling, be sure the meat is cut around the same thickness so they grill evenly.
Make ahead, storage, and freezer tips
Storage - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight covered container for about 4 days.
Freezer: When making ahead of time, the chicken can be kept in an air-tight freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe? Here are some ways to change the flavor of this dish.
- Pesto: Any variety of pesto can be used such as spinach arugula, kale basil pesto, sun-dried tomato, or artichoke pesto.
- Kabobs: Make kabobs with the poultry and you can add your favorite veggies such as tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms.
- Baked: We include baking instructions for pesto chicken.
Similar recipes
Check out all our chicken recipes here.
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
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Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 425°F/218°C.
- Brush an equal amount of the ½ cup of basil pesto on each 6-ounce boneless chicken breast. Be sure to put pesto on both sides of the chicken chicken.
- Reduce grill heat to medium, about 350°F/177°C. Place pesto-seasoned chicken on the preheated grill. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F/74°C.
- Let chicken rest about 5 minutes to let the juices settle. Slice and serve
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Coat a medium-sized casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Brush the ½ cup of basil pesto evenly on each chicken breast. Be sure to put pesto on both sides of the chicken.
- Put the seasoned chicken into the prepared casserole dish.
- Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken will be 165°/74°C when chicken is cooked through.
- Serve chicken with your favorite sides, enjoy.
Kathleen
We love your basil pesto. And make it all the time. Saw this recipe for chicken and had to make it. So simple and we loved it. Had it on a big salad.
Eileen xo
Excellent Kathleen, glad you enjoy!
Angela Paris
This pesto chicken looks AMAZING!
I am pinning this for later 🙂
Eileen xo
Enjoy Angela! This is great chicken