Pesto chicken recipes are what happens when you take tender chicken and slather it with that herbaceous, garlicky, nutty basil sauce that makes everything taste about a thousand times better. Whether you're tossing it with pasta, piling it on pizza, stuffing it in sandwiches, or baking it in casseroles, pesto transforms plain chicken into something you'll actually get excited about eating, and the best part is how versatile it is across every cooking method and meal format you can think of.
This collection brings you everything from One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta for easy weeknight dinners to Chicken Pesto Pizza with Blistered Black Grapes for something totally unexpected, Pesto Chicken Sliders perfect for parties, and Gnocchi Chicken Pesto Soup for cozy comfort. You'll find quick weeknight options, meal prep ideas, copycat restaurant versions, and creative twists that prove pesto and chicken are a match made in flavor heaven.
What makes the recipes in this roundup special?
- The recipes were created by a real person-not generated by AI.
- The photos show the actual recipe, made and photographed in real life.
- The blog is run by a human being-not an AI avatar or bot-run site.
- The recipe is original and created by the blogger-not purchased or republished content.
- All recipes in this roundup have earned a star rating of 4 stars or higher from readers or reviewers.
Jump to:
- What makes the recipes in this roundup special?
- Top Tips
- Grilled Chicken and Peach Pesto Pizza
- Chicken Pesto Sandwich (Easy Slider Recipe w/ Rotisserie)
- Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Italian Chicken Pesto Sandwich
- Chicken Pesto Pizza with Blistered Black Grapes
- Instant Pot Pesto Chicken Pasta (30-Minute Meal!)
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Chicken with Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes
- One‑Pot Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta-Family's New Favorite!
- Easy Pesto Bruschetta Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken Breasts - Dump-and-Go Recipe
- Chicken Pesto Meatballs (Dairy Free & Egg Free)
- Creamy Dairy-Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Baked Pesto Chicken
- Instant Pot Pasta With Pesto And Mozzarella
- Creamy Keto Pesto Chicken
- Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza
- Pesto Chicken Bake - Easy Weeknight Dinner
- Chicken Pesto Wrap
- Chicken Pesto Pizza Recipe
- Pesto Chicken Sliders
- Gnocchi Chicken Pesto Soup Recipe
- Pesto Chicken Grill Packets
- Similar recipes...
- Comments
Top Tips
- Use quality pesto or make your own - Store-bought pesto varies wildly in quality, so splurge on the good stuff or blend up fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil yourself.
- Add pesto at the end of cooking - High heat can make pesto taste bitter and dull the bright green color, so stir it in after cooking or use it as a finishing sauce.
- Thin pesto with pasta water for sauce - A few tablespoons of starchy pasta water helps pesto coat noodles and chicken evenly instead of clumping up in spots.
- Balance pesto's richness with acid - A squeeze of lemon juice or splash of white wine brightens pesto-heavy dishes and cuts through the oiliness perfectly.
Grilled Chicken and Peach Pesto Pizza
Grilled peaches on pesto pizza sound fancy but come together surprisingly easily. The summer fruit and basil combination screams warm weather eating.
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Photo credit: Cooking with Curls
Chicken Pesto Sandwich (Easy Slider Recipe w/ Rotisserie)
Using rotisserie chicken makes these sliders come together in minutes. The shortcut doesn't compromise on flavor when pesto's involved.
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Photo credit: The Slow Roasted Italian
Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes add tangy sweetness that complements pesto beautifully. The creamy sauce brings everything together for pure comfort.
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Photo credit: Pass Me Some Tasty
Italian Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Pesto takes a basic chicken sandwich and turns it into something you'd actually pay money for at a cafe. The Italian-inspired combination feels fresh and satisfying.
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Photo credit: XOXO Bella
Chicken Pesto Pizza with Blistered Black Grapes
Grapes on pizza might sound weird until you try them with pesto chicken and realize it's genius. The sweet, blistered grapes against herbaceous pesto create something unexpectedly amazing.
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Photo credit: The Delicious Spoon
Instant Pot Pesto Chicken Pasta (30-Minute Meal!)
Thirty minutes in the Instant Pot gets you complete pesto chicken pasta with zero babysitting. The pressure cooker makes this ridiculously easy for busy nights.
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Photo credit: Pumpkin N Spice
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Cold pasta salad gets the pesto treatment for potlucks and picnics. This travels well and actually tastes better after sitting so the flavors can meld.
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Photo credit: Chew Out Loud
Chicken with Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes
The classic pairing of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes never disappoints. This simple combination lets quality ingredients shine without overcomplicating things.
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Photo credit: Mess for Less
One‑Pot Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta-Family's New Favorite!
Everything cooks in a single pot, including the pasta soaking up all that creamy pesto goodness. This is the kind of dinner that makes weeknights feel manageable instead of chaotic.
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Photo credit: It's a Keeper
Easy Pesto Bruschetta Chicken
Topping pesto chicken with fresh bruschetta adds bright, fresh flavors. The combination of hot chicken, cool tomatoes, and herbaceous pesto hits all the right notes.
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Photo credit: Bless This Meal
Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken Breasts - Dump-and-Go Recipe
Ranch seasoning meets pesto in the slow cooker for a dump-and-forget dinner. The combo sounds random but creates something creamy and addictive.
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Photo credit: By Kelsey Smith
Chicken Pesto Meatballs (Dairy Free & Egg Free)
Pesto mixed right into the meatballs infuses every bite with flavor. The dairy-free and egg-free approach makes these work for various dietary needs.
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Photo credit: The Urben Life
Creamy Dairy-Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
Getting that creamy texture without dairy means more people can enjoy pesto pasta. The plant-based creaminess works just as well as the traditional version.
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Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear
Baked Pesto Chicken
Sometimes the simplest approach is the best, and baking chicken with pesto proves it. Minimal effort yields maximum flavor when you let the oven do the work.
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Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry
Instant Pot Pasta With Pesto And Mozzarella
The recipe helps you nail the technique for pressure cooking pasta with pesto. Melted mozzarella throughout takes this over the top.
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Photo credit: Recipes From a Pantry
Creamy Keto Pesto Chicken
Low-carb eating doesn't mean giving up creamy pesto chicken. This keto-friendly version keeps all the richness while ditching the carbs.
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Photo credit: I Hacked Diabetes
Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza
Flatbread makes for a thinner, crispier pizza base that lets the pesto chicken shine. These personal-sized pizzas come together faster than ordering delivery.
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Photo credit: The Rustic Foodie
Pesto Chicken Bake - Easy Weeknight Dinner
Throwing everything in a baking dish and letting the oven handle it makes weeknight dinners less stressful. The baked approach means you can walk away while it cooks.
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Photo credit: Delicious Meets Healthy
Chicken Pesto Wrap
Wraps filled with pesto chicken make perfect grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners. The portable format means you can eat this anywhere without utensils.
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Photo credit: Living Chirpy
Chicken Pesto Pizza Recipe
Classic chicken pesto pizza never goes out of style for good reason. The combination is endlessly customizable with whatever toppings you're feeling.
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Photo credit: Simply Stacie
Pesto Chicken Sliders
Mini sandwiches with pesto chicken are perfect for game day or casual gatherings. The slider format makes these easy to grab and even easier to devour.
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Photo credit: The Cookin Chicks
Gnocchi Chicken Pesto Soup Recipe
Pillowy gnocchi floating in pesto chicken soup creates ultimate comfort in a bowl. This is what to make when you want something cozy but still interesting.
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Photo credit: The Kitchen Girl
Pesto Chicken Grill Packets
Wrapping everything in foil for the grill means no dishes and major flavor. The packets steam everything together while picking up smoky char from the grill.
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Photo credit: 100 Days of Real Food
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