Crispy Thin Grilled Pesto Chicken (2 Ingredients)
Imagine thin chicken cutlets marinated in homemade pesto sizzling over the grill until the edges turn audibly crispy. Grilled pesto chicken is just two pantry-friendly ingredients, yet every bite tastes like you spent the whole afternoon fussing—perfect for busy summer nights!
Take all the stress out of dinner with this easy grilled pesto chicken recipe! It can be prepped in the morning or even the day before and takes less than 10 minutes to cook!
This is one of my favorite go-to meals for a busy weeknight running the kids from soccer and golf and church activities and all the things.
Why I love Pesto!
In college I was asked out on a date and the other couple we ate with made us dinner. It was my first date with this guy, first time hanging out with a married couple and my first time having pesto. In fact, I’d never even heard of pesto!!
Ever since that date I’ve been making different dishes with pesto like our caprese sandwich or 15 Minute Pesto Pasta, but I’ll tell you what, this crispy healthy grilled chicken with pesto is my absolute favorite.
My favorite part about pesto chicken? The cheese in the pesto makes this deliciously crispy, crunch crust on the chicken, oh man it’s good!
How to Make Grilled Pesto Chicken
This recipe is so easy you only need:
Chicken and Pesto!
Let’s jump right into how to make it:
- Prep the Chicken: Cover the chicken with pesto on all sides and marinate for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight.
- NOTE: I absolutely LOVE our homemade basil pesto recipe, but if you want to save time, you can totally grab a jar at the grocery store. The Kirkland Brand of Pesto at Costco is actually pretty dang good.
- Grill the Chicken: Make sure you oil the grates before grilling as that cheese will want to stick!
- PRO TIP: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. You’re looking for 165 degrees F for the internal temperature. It really won’t take too long with the chicken being so thin.
If you don’t have a grill, you can cook this chicken in a skillet on the stovetop or bake it in the oven (350℉ in a baking dish for 15-20 minutes).
Carrian’s Notes
Meal Prep Tips
I use our homemade pesto and marinate the chicken up to 1 day ahead of time. In fact, I prefer to prepare the chicken, place in a food saver bag and vacuum seal it for up to 4 months, then I defrost in the fridge and cook.
It creates better flavor to freeze the chicken or at least marinate for a day. Even better marination occurs with a food saver.
How to Know When Chicken is Ready to Flip
You know when chicken is not ready to be flipped if the chicken is sticking to the grates. It should easily lift when ready. We go into all the details in our how to cook chicken on the stovetop, but the same rules apply for cooking on the grill too.
How to Eat Crispy Pesto Chicken
When I make this for dinner on a busy evening, I usually will make roasted broccoli or air fry broccoli and make some sort of grain to go with it like our lemon orzo with peas. Sometimes I’ll even double this recipe so that I can have leftovers for lunches. It taste so good in a wrap or on a sandwich…hello caprese chicken sandwich!
This crispy grilled chicken also tastes great on top of a salad or in a cream pasta dish. Toss it into our easy fettucine recipe for a delicious burst of flavor!
Storing and Reheating
How to Store Grilled Chicken:
Grilled chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze Grilled Chicken:
Let the chicken cool completely and then place in a freezer safe container or a ziploc bag.
It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then follow the directions below for reheating.
How to Reheat Grilled Chicken:
Reheating chicken can be tricky because it can dry out quickly. I’ve found that reheating this thin chicken is best done on the stove top. I add a little splash of oil to a skillet and warm it up over medium-high heat just for a few minutes on each side. I like to add more pesto too just to make sure it stays moist.
With just two simple ingredients, you can have a delicious and healthy meal ready in no time! This crispy thin grilled pesto chicken recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. We have this easy chicken dinner recipe on repeat all summer long!
Watch Our Video on How to Make Thing Healthy Crispy Grilled Chicken
More Delicious Grilled Chicken Recipes:
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Thin Crispy Grilled Pesto Chicken
Description
Imagine thin chicken cutlets marinated in homemade pesto sizzling over the grill until the edges turn audibly crispy. Grilled pesto chicken is just two pantry-friendly ingredients, perfect for busy summer nights!
Course Mom’s Best 100 Easy Chicken Recipes
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 41 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Author Carrian Cheney
Cover both sides of the chicken with pesto and marinate for at least 30 minutes in a storage container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator.
2 Chicken Breasts, Homemade Pesto
Remove from bag and heat a grill to high heat with oiled grates.
Place the chicken on the grates and turn to medium for 3 minutes per side or until 165 degrees internal temperature.
READ: Crispy Thin Grilled Pesto Chicken (2 Ingredients)