Name: Grilled Pesto Chicken for Supper
Yield: 4

This Grilled Pesto Chicken makes quick, fresh bowls with juicy lemon chicken, creamy avocado corn salsa, and fluffy couscous.

author’s note

30 Minute Grilled Pesto Chicken Bowls!

I’ve been perfecting this white bean and corn salsa lately, and now I seriously can’t get enough of it. It’s fresh, lemony, and loaded with avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. I kept finding excuses to add it to everything!

Since our grill is basically always on, I started working on the best grilled lemon pepper chicken to go with it. Once that was just right, I knew the chicken and salsa needed to become a bowl. I added warm pesto couscous, spooned more pesto over everything, and it all came together even better than I imagined.

Now I’ve made these Grilled Pesto Chicken Bowls on repeat. They’re fresh, filling, packed with flavor, and ready in about 30 minutes!

Use a meat tenderizer mallet to pound the meat to even thickness.

Grilled Pesto Chicken Ingredients

Ingredient	Swap or Tip
Basil pesto	Use fresh refrigerated pesto for brighter flavor. Vegan pesto works too.
Chicken breasts	Swap thighs or rotisserie. Cook to 165°F for juicy slices.
Couscous	Toss pesto into warm grains so it coats evenly. Quinoa or rice also work.
Corn	No grill? Char frozen or canned kernels in a hot dry skillet for 3 to 5 minutes.
Avocado	No ripe avocado? Use diced cucumber for crunch.
Sun-dried tomatoes	Roasted red peppers work. Add a spoon of the jar oil to the salsa.
Lemon pepper seasoning	Any citrusy all-purpose blend is fine. Pat chicken dry first.

Quick Tip

Canned beans are usually drained and rinsed to reduce sodium. The exceptions are chili, ranch beans, and refried beans, which should be used as is.

Sun-dried tomatoes used for the salsa in this recipe.

How To Make Grilled Pesto Chicken (Tips)

Pound the chicken: Even thickness means even cooking and juicy slices.
Cook hot and fast: Sear for color, then finish to temp. Rest 5 minutes.
Char the corn: Heat brings sweetness and smoky depth.
Use good pesto: Fresher pesto = fresher bowl flavor. Try making your own or grab a fresh refrigerated one like Rana.

Process shot of dinner creation -- draining white beans and stirring the pesto.

Variations

Vegetarian: Skip chicken. Do pesto couscous with the salsa and a few spoonfuls of extra pesto. Filling and fast.
Different protein: Boneless thighs, grilled steak, or shrimp.
Different base: Quinoa or rice if you want a gluten-free pesto chicken recipe.
Swap the salsa: Try a mango salsa or a tomato-cucumber-olive mix for a Mediterranean spin.

Process shot: white bean and corn salsa.

Storage

Make-ahead: Cook chicken and couscous up to 3 days in advance. Mix salsa right before serving so the avocado stays fresh.
Store: Refrigerate this grilled pesto chicken in separate containers for 3 days.
Leftover ideas: Tuck extras into pitas, make a chopped salad, or turn into a quick pesto fried rice.