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    Home » Recipes » Freezer Friendly

    Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken

    Published: Jul 19, 2024 by Eileen Murphy Kelly

    Jump to Recipe
    Grilled pesto chicken pinterest pin
    A pinterest collage of grilled pesto chicken.

    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.

    Grilled pesto chicken sliced topped with tomatoes.

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    Always a crowd-pleasing recipe that's been in my family's recipe rotation for years.

    For specifics on the recipe use the table of contents to click on sections of the recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredient List
    • Equipment
    • Instructions
    • Eileen's Tips for Success
    • Make ahead, storage, and freezer tips
    • Variations
    • Serving Ideas
    • Similar recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    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

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • Basil Pesto: While we use my nut-free basil pesto, a store-made basil pesto can be used.

    Equipment

    • Grill Pan
    • Measuring Spoons and Cups
    • Pastry Brush

    Instructions

    This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.

    1. Preheat the grill
    2. Brush basil pesto on all sides of the chicken breasts.
    3. Grill chicken breasts for about 5 minuter on each side.
    4. 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.

    Serving Ideas

    Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

    Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

    Homemade Potato Salad

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    Chicken Asparagus Salad

    Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wraps

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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.

    📖 Recipe

    Sliced boneless chicken breasts coated with basil pesto on a white plate, topped with chopped fresh basil and tomato.

    Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken

    Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken is a quick and easy recipe to make for dinner! Perfect to pair the chicken with a salad, make them into kabobs, or with any of your favorite side dishes.
    5 from 2 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: easy chicken recipe, grilled pesto chicken, pesto chicken recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
    resting time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 17 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 100kcal
    Author: Eileen Murphy Kelly

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

    Equipment Needed:

    • As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    • Grill Pan
    • Measuring Spoons and Cups
    • Pastry Brush
    • Instant Read Thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 4(6) ounce boneless chicken breasts Note 1
    • ½ cup homemade skinny basil pesto Note 2
    • non-stick cooking spray if baking the pesto chicken
    US Customary - Metric

    Save the Recipe?

    Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox to view anytime. Plus the bonus of regular recipes to you for inspiration!

    Instructions

    Grilled Pesto Chicken

    • 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

    Baked Pesto Chicken

    • 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.

    NOTES

    Be sure to check the Expert Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help make a delicious recipe.
    Note 1: Trim the chicken breasts of any excess fat.
    Note 2: We use my basil pesto recipe, which has no nuts in the pesto. Store-made pesto will have more calories than my homemade basil pesto. 
    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.
     
    Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
    Don’t forget to shop at the Everyday Eileen store on Amazon

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cutlet | Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 380mg | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Everyday_Eileen or tag #everydayeileen!

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      Homemade Kale Pesto Recipe
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      Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

    Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Kathleen

      June 29, 2019 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Eileen xo

        August 30, 2019 at 2:39 am

        Excellent Kathleen, glad you enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Angela Paris

      May 08, 2019 at 8:38 pm

      5 stars
      This pesto chicken looks AMAZING!
      I am pinning this for later 🙂

      Reply
      • Eileen xo

        May 17, 2019 at 12:25 am

        Enjoy Angela! This is great chicken

        Reply

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