Grilled Chicken Breasts With Arugula Pesto

By Farideh Sadeghin

Published July 9, 2024

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Rating
5(370)
Comments
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Marinating chicken breasts in pesto before grilling them results in moist, flavorful chicken. This recipe also yields a big batch of arugula pesto, which leaves you with extra to serve on the side. (You could also add a touch of mayonnaise to any remaining pesto, then slather it on some grilled bread to make a chicken sandwich.) While classic pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts and basil, arugula adds a pepperiness that pops when the marinated chicken is grilled. The addition of fresh lemon juice balances out arugula’s bold, bitter notes while also tenderizing the chicken. Though pine nuts are traditional, walnuts are significantly cheaper — and add earthy flavor without overpowering the arugula or Parmesan. This pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. Serve the grilled chicken alongside chopped salad, coleslaw or grilled zucchini. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½ cup walnut halves and pieces

  • 5 ounces arugula

  • 1 ½ cups/2 ounces grated Parmesan

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

  • ¾ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • Salt and pepper

  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)

  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

6 grams carbs; 175 milligrams cholesterol; 800 calories; 34 grams monosaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 60 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 808 milligrams sodium; 60 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and the oils just begin to release, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

  2. Step 2

    When the walnuts have cooled, transfer to the bowl of a food processor along with the arugula, Parmesan, lemon juice and garlic. Turn on the machine and, with the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. When the pesto is slightly smooth, season with salt and pepper. (There will be a scant 2 cups.)

  3. Step 3

    Place the chicken breasts in an even layer in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Add ⅔ cup of the pesto to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

  4. Step 4

    Light a grill. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, shaking off any excess and discarding the used marinade. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper then grill, flipping once, until lightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 degrees, about 10 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing. Drizzle with more olive oil, then serve with extra pesto and lemon wedges.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
370 user ratings
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Comments

Lal B., New Orleans

Nice to see a recipe in English for something akin to a Provencal pistou roquette (often made with almonds rather than walnuts). Two suggestions (born of experience): Don't overdo the machine chopping, or the arugula will taste like a freshly mowed lawn. Also, it's a good idea to cover the refrigerated leftover sauce with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent darkening oxidation.

Phil

I was worried about the pesto sticking to the chicken, so I scored the chicken breasts across the top, about 4-6 deep scores per breast. This gave the pesto plenty of room to sink down and get nestled in the meat, and gave some nice crispy bits when I grilled them. I also added a few spoons of mayo to the marinade bag. Next time I will add a little more salt to the marinade too - the pesto was perfect, but as a marinade was undersalted. You needn't worry about marinating for longer than 4 hours.

Suzanne Dunaway

Just pulled out four feet of arugula grown from seeds from Paestum in Italy where I first ''stole''my original plant, haha. Have been making arugula pesto for 30 years for the daughter of a friend. She was practically an addict...So glad it's getting its due. Now to pull the leaves off of the plants...tedious but so worth it. It cames up every year in my garden and is the wild kind, not domestic. LOVE it.

Sue

I followed the recipe pretty much exactly, although I used a bit more garlic than it called for and I used boneless, skinless thighs because that’s what I had. I just didn’t find this chicken very tasty. I love arugula and often have it as a salad or on sandwiches, but it didn’t provide enough flavor. I don’t think it can stand up to basil as a pesto competitor. It was disappointing.

Amy

The chicken is definitely moist from marinating with the pesto. I made my own using basil from a plant at my home, some greens, toasted walnuts, and freshly grated parmesan - I didn't have arugula on hand. I made the pesto a day ahead, and marinated the chicken breasts for 8 hours, cutting slits in the breasts for better penetration. Then the chicken was cooked on an outdoor grill. It certainly tasted fine, but I didn't think it was outstanding.

Cheryl

Made this with fresh garden pesto. Marinated chicken for 4 hours and was wonderfully tender. Used some pesto on grilled garden asparagus and on homemade sourdough bread. Have plenty leftover to freeze for winter.

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