Chicken Pesto Kabobs
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No-fuss easy peasy 4-ingredient kabobs! Make ahead of time (bake or grill) so you can whip this up anytime, anywhere!
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why i love this recipe
- Easy make-ahead recipe. These chicken kabobs can easily be made ahead of time, marinating overnight and throwing it on the grill or oven right before serving. The longer it sits, the better it tastes!
- Perfect for summer entertaining. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, great for entertaining guests all season long. And it checks all the boxes – quick, easy and a crowd-favorite. No fuss, no muss here.
- Short ingredient list. All you need is pesto, chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes (or your favorite veggie), salt and pepper + fresh basil leaves as a garnish (which you can absolutely skip).
- Great way to use up basil. Have an overabundance of basil in your garden? Or have leftover basil from the last grocery run? Never let fresh basil go to waste. We can make all the pesto here for the best kabobs ever. And leftover pesto can easily be frozen into ice cube trays for later use.
- Flexible recipe. Use store-bought or homemade pesto (a 5 min pesto recipe thanks to the food processor). This recipe will also work with any part of the chicken on hand – breasts, thighs or tenderloins – whether it’s on the grill, on the stovetop or in the oven (more on that below).
how to make the easiest chicken pesto kabobs
- Add all the pesto ingredients into a food processor and pulse, pulse pulse (make ahead 5-7 days in advance)
- Combine the chicken and pesto, marinating overnight
- Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes (if using)
- Thread chicken + tomatoes (or desired vegetable)
- Preheat the grill (or cast iron grill pan or oven)
- Add to grill + cook until charred, smoky and cooked through (165°F)
- Serve with arugula salad + crusty bread
tips and tricks for success
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor. These can also be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes (reaching an internal temperature of 165°F), brushing with some leftover pesto during the last few minutes of cook time.
- Homemade pesto makes all the difference. While store-bought pesto can save a few minutes in the kitchen, homemade pesto will be much more fresh and vibrant, coming together in just 5 minutes. Homemade pesto also freezes beautifully!
- Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the kabob ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite, and to ensure even cooking.
- Work in batches. An overcrowded grill or pan can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each chicken skewer.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken kabob rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
- Mix it up. Swap out the tomatoes for different vegetables such as zucchini, mushrooms, red onion or bell peppers. You can also serve these as skewers, salad mix-ins, or grain bowls. The possibilities are endless.
what to serve with chicken pesto kabobs
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Warm Potato Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Baked Garlic Herb Potato Wedges
Tools For This Recipe
Metal skewers or wooden skewers
Chicken Pesto Kabobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Metal skewers are sturdy and reusable but note that they will retain heat so please be careful when serving. Wooden skewers can also be used but can burn over a hot grill. I recommend soaking them overnight in water (or at least 30 minutes) prior to using.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
These chicken kabobs can be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through (reaching an internal temperature of 165°F). Feel free to brush some of the leftover pesto the last 2-3 minutes.
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to serving.
Yes! The chicken can be marinated overnight and placed in the fridge. The homemade pesto can also be made 5-7 days ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Chicken Pesto Kabobs
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and pesto; marinate for at least 1 hour to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain chicken from the pesto.
- Thread chicken and cherry tomatoes onto skewers; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes.*
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Very tasty and easy to make. A sure summer recipe.
Not a review but a question, do you think mozzarella would be a good addition to this?? And if so, how would I go about adding it?? Thanks !! Love your recipes!!
I don’t know that mozzarella would withstand the grille. Maybe try halloumi cheese, it’s a grilling cheese that holds it shape.
Delicious recipe!!
Normally I have tomatoes on hand but I didn’t when I went to make this recipe so I used what I had – red, yellow and orange peppers and cauliflower. I’ve never put cauliflower on a kabob before but it worked out great doing more of a weave through the branches rather than skewering them.
After marinating for 30 minutes, I broiled the kabobs for about 4-6 minutes per side. The pesto that is on the chicken makes a nice sauce so I’m going to leave more on next time.
I’ll definitely make this again, next time with tomatoes!! The leftovers were good cold and made an quick, easy picnic dinner!
Love your recipes and the new website looks beautiful!!
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Thank you for all your great recipes Without you we’d be eating the same old things all the time. It started raining before I got them on the grill. Rather than turning on the oven, I made them in my new air fryer. They turned out great. Looking forward to making them on the grill next time. I added some sweet peppers & mushrooms to use the ones I had up. I cooked them in the air fryer at 370 for 15 – 20 min turning 3 times. (Time depends on size of cut chicken)
Thanks for sharing with us, Lee. Sounds delicious!
What would be a good side dish for this recipe? Can’t wait to try it out!
I always like a good salad with something like this, but feel free to peruse our side dish category to get inspired https://damndelicious.net/category/side-dish/. Hope that helps!
I love it! Last week I bought a jar of pesto because it was on sale, even though we don’t use it very often. My partner, taking it out of the shopping bag: “what are you going to do with this?” Me, shrugging; “no idea but I’ll think of something.” I also bought 2 pints of cherry tomatoes. When I got up this morning, I took two chicken breasts out of the freezer without having a clue what I was going to do with them. Then I came here 🙂 After I post this, I’m going to pop the chicken into a bowl & dump some of the pesto on them. I’ll cook some quinoa to soak up the juices & throw together a salad for the side & there’s dinner, no fuss, no muss.
So great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Susanne.
I was just looking for a good pesto recipe thank u do have many others I’d love to try a few more we grill a lot and I’ll be trying this on Saturday with the family.
Simple and delicious…Love it (:
can this dish be frozen Thank you Betty
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Your picture shows the tomatoes covered with the pesto also! Did you brush the pesto on the tomatoes before your grilled them?
Yes, you can add more pesto as needed if you like!
Can I serve this cold? Will it taste good?
This is really best when served immediately.
We ate the leftovers cold and they were delicious! It made a great picnic dinner on the boat.
When making these in the oven, do I skewer them or not?
That is completely up to you!
What would you serve as a side for this dish?
My absolute favorite side dish is the garlic parmesan roasted potatoes. But please feel free to check out all of my side dish recipes here.
I love making kebobs and rice, and then making a rice bowl with everything. Yum!
Made these the other day and WOW! I wasn’t surprised because your recipes have never failed to impress! What I loved was how the quality of the dish was just like what you would get at a restaurant! It was soooo good and we greatly enjoyed it! Thanks!
My new favorite site, no lie. I’m cheating tonight and using pesto I picked up on a whim last week, even though I’ve never cooked with it or even really eaten it. I call that providence.
I like the barbecue type of snack, because it is not complicated, so thank you for sharing.
Made tonight for my husband and son. This couldn’t be any easier. The only change was that I threaded the chicken and the tomatoes separately so that each could be cooked to perfection. Thanks for another great recipe!
Stunning picture!
Nice and simple recipe. Great picture.
This is looking absolutely amazing 🙂 I`ll try it this weekend 🙂
Thank you so much … this blog is amazing 🙂