This pesto grilled chicken uses juicy chicken thighs instead of the usual breast, so every skewer comes off the grill charred at the edges and still tender in the middle.
Basil pesto does the heavy lifting here. It’s garlicky, herby, and worth doubling so you’ve got extra to spoon on right before serving. On the table in under thirty minutes, and it’s the kind of grill night dinner that gets requested again the following week.
Why Chicken Thighs Beat Chicken Breast for This
Most pesto grilled chicken recipes use chicken breast, which I love, but chicken breasts are less forgiving and tend to dry out faster when they go even a few degrees beyond 165.
Chicken thighs have more fat marbled through them, which means they can handle direct grill heat for the full cook time without drying out the way breast meat does.
Trimming the extra fat off the thighs first keeps the flavor without any greasy flare ups on the grill. Cut into one and a half inch pieces, they cook evenly and stay juicy from edge to center, which is exactly what you want from a skewer.
Quick note: I don’t think chicken breast on the grill is bad! In fact, I use it for my balsamic chicken salad and grilled chicken margherita. Just keep a close eye on the internal temp!
The Only Two Ingredients This Recipe Needs
Chicken thighs: trimmed of excess fat and cut into even one and a half inch pieces so every skewer cooks at the same rate. This is also where the fat marbling comes in, keeping the meat tender through a longer grill time than breast could handle.
Basil pesto: this is doing double duty. Some goes into the bowl as a marinade, and the rest gets saved for spooning on right after grilling. If you want that homemade flavor, my basil pesto recipe is worth the ten minutes it takes. Pistachio pesto is another good option, along with dairy-free pesto for a dairy-free alternative.
Is It Worth It to Make Homemade Pesto?
If you have 10 minutes and enough fresh basil, it’s absolutely worth it to make homemade pesto. It’s fresh, garlic-y, herby, and much brighter in color.
Blend a double batch to make salmon pesto pasta, burrata pasta, or baked pesto chicken next!
How to Grill These Without Drying Them Out
Step 1. Cut and marinate the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, then slice into 1 1/2-inch square pieces. Drying them off first helps the pesto cling instead of sliding right off. Add the chicken to a large bowl and toss with the pesto until every piece is coated.
Step 2. Skewer the chicken: Pack the pieces tightly onto four to six skewers. If you’re using bamboo, soak them in water first so they don’t scorch.
Step 3. Prep and grill: Brush the grates clean and lightly oil them (I like avocado oil for its high smoke point). Preheat to medium-high (400-450°F). A well-oiled grate is the difference between clean grill marks and chicken that tears apart when you try to flip it. Add the skewers to the grill and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping every 5 to 6 minutes. You’re looking for deep char along the edges and pesto that’s darkened and slightly crisped where it hit the grates. The internal temp should reach a few degrees shy of165°F.
Step 4. Rest and serve: Transfer the skewers to a clean cutting board and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This is when the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out onto your board.
Why Your Pesto Turns Dark on the Grill
That’s normal, not a sign anything went wrong. Pesto is mostly oil, garlic, and parmesan, and all three of those brown quickly over direct heat.
The parts of the marinade touching the grates will look almost blackened in spots by the time the chicken is done, and that’s actually where a lot of the flavor is coming from. I always tell my husband color equals flavor, don’t be afraid of it!
If you want a brighter, fresher pesto flavor on top of the char, that’s exactly why it’s worth saving a little extra pesto to spoon on after grilling instead of relying on the marinade alone.
Can You Use Chicken Breast Instead of Thighs?
You can, and in fact, I have a full tutorial on grilled chicken breast (along with grilled chicken thighs). Plan to watch it more closely and cook it faster.
Breast meat has far less fat, so it goes from juicy to dry in a much narrower window, and it won’t forgive an extra few minutes on the grill the way thighs will.
If you do use breast, pull it 2-3 degrees before 165°F to let it come to 165 while it rests. Make sure the grill is nice and hot before the chicken hits it so it chars enough in the short cook time.
What to Serve With Pesto Grilled Chicken
Keep it simple with a starchy side that can soak up any extra pesto. My first pick is sun dried tomato orzo with burrata. Or you can really lean into the pesto theme and make these pesto roasted potatoes.
Another option is to go with a roasted vegetable pasta salad or BLT pasta salad for something you can make ahead.
For a quick, no-cook side, go with a burrata caprese or tomato corn, and feta salad.
If you’re already firing up the grill, my grilled peach salad and grilled zucchini salad are great because they use the same cooking method.
How to Store and Reheat This Without Drying It Out
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, a hot skillet with a splash of water works better than the microwave, which tends to dry the chicken back out. Warm it over medium heat until heated through, about 3-4 minutes and you have a perfect chicken to top salads, bowls, or sandwiches for lunch.
This chicken doesn’t freeze particularly well since the pesto’s texture changes once thawed, so plan to eat it within those 4 days.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Honey mustard chicken thighs
- Bang bang chicken skewers
- Chicken and feta burgers
- Harissa grilled chicken
Pesto Grilled Chicken (Juicy Chicken Thigh Skewers)
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs trimmed from fat
- 2/3 cup homemade pesto or store bought, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and slice into 1 1/2-inch square pieces. Add them to a large bowl and toss with the pesto, until coated.2 lbs chicken thighs, 2/3 cup homemade pesto
- Pack them tightly onto 4-6 metal skewers, or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water.
- Brush the grill grates clean and lightly oil. Preheat the grill to medium-high (400-450°F). Add the chicken skewers to the grill and cook for 18-22 minutes, flipping every 5-6 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and rest
Notes
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