3-Ingredient Pesto Chicken Marinade
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jun 3, 2024 (last updated Feb 17, 2025) 
This garlicky, herby pesto chicken marinade is a brilliantly simple, incredibly versatile, and basically solves the “what’s for dinner” question once and for all. The secret? I use store-bought pesto (homemade works, too), to make a 3-ingredient marinade that adds so much freshness, flavor, and juiciness to chicken breasts or thighs. Great for grilling, baking, or air-frying!
Marinated Pesto Chicken is What’s for Dinner!
You know that simple marinades are my all-time favorite for no-brainer delicious meals, and this pesto chicken marinade is probably the easiest one out there! All you need are 3 basic ingredients – store-bought pesto, lemon juice, and salt – to make the most flavorful, juicy chicken. The star of the show for both flavor and ease really is the pesto!
Store-bought pesto is a great condiment to have on hand because it packs a huge flavor punch without a lot of work (I love to use it in my 3-ingredient pesto vinaigrette, too). However, if you have a bumper crop of basil, you can absolutely make your own pesto, and I have a 5-ingredient, 5-minute pesto recipe that’s made without pine nuts that would be perfect to use as a base for this recipe.
You can whip this pesto chicken up all in one night since the chicken only needs a minimum of 30 minutes to marinate and cooks quickly on the grill or in the oven or air-fryer. I personally love making this recipe for a protein meal prep to have on hand because it’s excellent both hot and cold in sandwiches or on salads, especially orzo pesto pasta salad.
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Pesto Marinade
Notes + Tips
This recipe works equally well with either a store-bought red pesto or my quick red pesto. This is an excellent make ahead recipe! Simply combine the marinade and chicken in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and cook right away. Trust me, this time-saving hack works so well, and your future self will thank you. Also a quick note that this the best chicken marinade for pesto pasta! Just make the marinade, cook the chicken, then toss with cooked pasta and more pesto. Yum!
This Recipe Is…
3-Ingredient Pesto Chicken Marinade (for Grilling & More!)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
Instructions
Make the Marinade
- Add the pesto, lemon juice, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of the marinade.
- Pour the remaining of the marinade along with 2 tablespoons of water into a 1-gallon zip-top bag or baking dish.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours minutes, flipping occasionally.
Grilling Instructions
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Allow to preheat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess, and discard any remaining marinade from the bag or dish.
- Grill, with the cover down, until chicken thighs register 170F or chicken breasts register 165F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, or dice into pieces (if using for taco), serve, drizzled with marinade that was set aside, and serve.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Add the chicken and the remaining marinade into a small baking dish. If you have a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, omit the marinade as it will spread and possibly burn. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until or until chicken thighs register 170F or chicken breasts register 165F.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, and serve, drizzled with set aside marinade.
Air Fry Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. If using chicken breasts, slice in half the long way.
- Shake off any excess marinade, then add the chicken to the tray. Air fry for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices and serve, drizzled with set aside marinade.
Notes
- A note about the nutrition information on this recipe, since we discard the marinade before grilling or baking it can be a little difficult to calculate.
- See blog post, above, for servings suggestions, variations, make ahead tips, and more.
