Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken

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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-ingredients 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.

Grilled Pesto Chicken

This is such an easy recipe to put together and it uses my Nut-free Basil Pesto. Great for entertaining during the summer months.

For the pesto, I make a ton of it all summer long with fresh basil from the garden. I also freeze it to use year-round.

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts: I always use boneless chicken breasts that are about 4-5 ounce boneless pieces. Feel free to make the chicken into kabobs.
• Basil Pesto: Use my homemade recipe. made nut-free and it’s also low-carb. You can also use store made pesto for a quick solution.

Variations

• Use another of your favorite pestos, such as spinach arugula, sun-dried tomato, or artichoke pesto.
• Make kabobs with the poultry and you can add your favorite veggies such as tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms.
• Instead of grilling, bake the chicken in the oven. Instructions in the recipe below.

Pro tips and facts

• Spray grill with non-stick spray to prevent the chicken from sticking.
• Preheat the grill to about 425 degrees then turn down to about 350-375.
• The poultry will take about 10-12 minutes to cook and the internal temperature should be 165°F.
• For easy grilling, be sure the meat is cut around the same thickness so they grill evenly.
• When making ahead of time, the chicken can be kept in freezer-safe bags in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Always consult the USDA for specific facts on storage.

Some other favorites you will enjoy:

Dijon Lime Chicken

Chicken Kabobs

Chicken Asparagus Salad

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wraps

What can I serve with Pesto Chicken?

• Eggplant Caprese Salad
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh
• Caesar Salad 
• Grilled Asparagus 
•  Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Enjoy some summer refreshments such as:

•   Lavender Lemonade
• Blueberry Ginger Iced Tea

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Shop this Recipe:

• • Hamilton Beach® Indoor Searing Grill: love this grill! Grates are easy to clean, easy to use and the food is always perfect
  • Instant Read Thermometer: A must-have for accurate reading of meat and poultry.

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How to make Grilled Pesto Chicken:

1. Make your Basil Pesto, or use store-bought.
2. Trim any excess fat from the poultry.
3. Brush the chicken all over with the pesto.
4. Spray grill grates with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to high, about 425 degrees.
5. Grill chicken until it reaches 165 degrees temperature.
6. Serve with your favorite sides.

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Eileen  xo

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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

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy chicken recipe, grilled pesto chicken, pesto chicken recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

resting time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 100kcal

Author: Eileen

Equipment Needed:

Ingredients

• 4 medium boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each Note 1
• 1/2 cup homemade skinny basil pesto Note 2

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Grilled Pesto Chicken

• Preheat the grill to 425 degrees. Brush the basil pesto evenly on each chicken breast. Be sure to put pesto on both sides of chicken.
• Reduce heat to medium, about 350 degrees, and place chicken on the grill. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side. Internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees.
• Let chicken rest about 5 minutes to let the juices settle. Slice and serve

Baked Pesto Chicken

• Preheat the oven to 375° degrees. Coat a medium-sized casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
• Brush the basil pesto evenly on each chicken breast. Be sure to put pesto on both sides of the chicken.
• Place chicken into the prepared casserole dish.
• Place in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken will be 165° when chicken is cooked through.
• Serve chicken with your favorite sides, enjoy.

Notes

Note 1: Trim the chicken breasts of any excess fat.

Note 2: We use my basil pesto recipe which is easy, delicious, lower in fat, and calories as there are no nuts in this recipe. Pre-made pesto can be used. 

Note 3: Store made pesto will have more calories than my homemade basil pesto. 

• Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

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

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