Grilled Chicken Margherita Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
661 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
Grilled Chicken Margherita Recipe
Description
This recipe begins by tenderizing chicken breasts for uniform cooking and juicy texture. The chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper and brushed with olive oil before grilling over high heat to develop grill marks and a slight smoky flavor. After grilling, the chicken is topped with shredded fontina cheese and placed under a broiler until the cheese melts and browns slightly, creating a creamy, rich layer.
Cherry tomatoes are sliced fresh to add a burst of acidity and brightness to the dish alongside the basil pesto drizzled on top. The pesto imparts herbal freshness, while the balsamic reduction adds subtle sweetness and acidity, creating complexity to the grilled chicken’s savory base.
Served immediately, this dish works well as a satisfying entrée in a lunch or dinner setting. The combination of textures—the tender chicken, melted cheese, fresh tomatoes, and pesto—makes for a layered and balanced meal. The balsamic reduction adds a finishing touch that ties the flavors together without overwhelming.
Keeping the prepared chicken warm in a low oven until ready to serve helps maintain moisture and preserves the melted cheese texture. Timely serving after broiling is important since the cheese can firm up as it cools.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic reduction
- ½ pesto recipe
- 4 8 to 10 ounce chicken breast boneless, skinless, each
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups fontina cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomato sliced in half
- salt coarse and freshly cracked, to taste
- black pepper coarse and freshly cracked, to taste
Instructions
- Make the balsamic reduction and chill it in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the pesto and briefly set it aside.
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap or parchment paper. The goal is to help tenderize it, which requires about 6-8 pounds per side.
- Pat the chicken dry on both sides with paper towels on a platter or sheet tray.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub it in on both sides.
- Season the chicken well on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken onto a pre-heated hot grill (450° to 500°) and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side or until grill marks are formed and the chicken is cooked throughout.
- Remove the chicken and place them on a sheet tray or in a cast-iron skillet.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the chicken and place under a pre-heated broiler on a middle rack for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly starting to brown.
- Remove the chicken and drizzle the pesto over each cheesy chicken breast.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix together the sliced cherry tomatoes with 2 to 3 tablespoons of balsamic reduction.
- Add the tomatoes to the top of the chicken and pesto.
- Serve the chicken as is or with a garnish of extra cheese.
Notes
- This recipe is best served immediately after cooking to enjoy the cheese melted and chicken juicy.
- Keep the grilled chicken warm in a covered pan inside a low-temperature oven if not serving straight away.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 661 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 661kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 73g | 146% |
| Fat | 37g | 57% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Trans Fat | 0.04g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 239mg | 80% |
| Sodium | 735mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 1.216mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 813IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 296mg | 30% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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