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Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast

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Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast are tender thick chicken breasts marinaded and then stuffed with Pesto and cheese and grilled to perfection! Simple, Easy, and Delicious!

A few weeks ago things were a little low in the pantry! Ever have this happen to you?

Chicken breasts stuffed with pesto and cheese

It was blazing hot, (Thank you, Mother Nature!)  and the last thing I wanted to do was drive into town and fight the crowds at the market. I don’t know about your market…but ours is managed by the devil himself, and he sets the thermostat at 80! Honestly it’s so stinkin’ hot in that store I wanna smack someone! (In all fairness I feel that way often when grocery shopping in the summertime. Lol

Going to the market wasn’t happening!

Blessings come in all different ways. This time…my lack of ambition was a HUGE blessing! (I wish I could say the same when it comes to the laundry!) This is a dish that is good enough to serve at a dinner party and simple enough for any weeknight.

How To Make Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast

Start with four boneless skinless chicken breasts. Place them in a large zip lock bag and marinade in 1 cup of Kraft Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing. Marinade them in refrigerator for 4 hours.

Tip: If you can’t find Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Salad Dressing you can use another favorite Italian dressing.

When you’re ready to cook dinner… remove the chicken breast from the refrigerator. Slice a pocket length wise along one side of the chicken breast to create a pocket.

Using a knife spread one Tablespoon of prepared Basil Pesto inside the bottom of the pocket. (I used Prego…any pesto sauce will do.) Add 2–3 Tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese. Press down and cover with the top of the chicken breast.

Fillet Chicken Breast Stuffed with Pesto and grated cheese

Using toothpicks or metal skewers secure the top to the bottom. Closing the opening to the pocket. We don’t want all that YUM slipping out and down into the BBQ! (Ya can’t really lick the bottom of the grill without some major burn implications!)

chicken breast stuffed and pinned down ready for the grill

Let’s recap… Chicken Breast, Italian Dressing, Pesto, and Cheese!  That’s it! Awesome right?!

Grill the chicken over medium heat for 30 – 40 minutes or until juices run clear. Baste with extra Italian Dressing while grilling for added flavor and to add moisture to the chicken while grilling.

Be sure you get those beautiful grill marks in the top of that chicken breast. Okay I was shocked I managed to do that!

grilled stuffed chicken breast

This chicken is insanely good! It’s tender. It’s juicy. It’s LOADED with flavor! It’s packed with all that melted cheese and garlic pesto. Isn’t it beautiful?

Can you believe how simple this dish is to prepare! I absolutely LOVE a dish that is easy and spectacular without a lot of fuss and ingredients. Both have their purpose and place. It’s just nice, in the summertime, to have a quick easy meal.

Pesto Stuffed Grilled Chicken Breast

I served this main course with a side Cesar Salad and Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Ravioli with butter and a little dab of Pesto sauce.  (It was a stuffed kinda night!) It was heavenly!

Stuffed Pesto Chicken Breast with salad and pasta

It’s summer friendly. It’s delicious. And your family will LOVE it! Especially if they love Italian food.

If you like this recipe you might want to try these other Grilled Chicken Recipes

Thanks for stopping by my nest and checking out this wonderful dish. Next time your pantry is low…get creative. You never know what might happen!

Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, and you can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  I also have a cute Etsy Shop, Norine’s Country Nest, where you can find original designed kitchenware and decor.

Have a FANTASTIC day!

Norine's Nest Signature
Yield: 4 servings

Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast

Stuffed Grilled Chicken Breast

Tender thick chicken breasts are marinaded and then stuffed with Pesto and cheese and grilled to perfection! Simple, Easy, and Delicious!

Prep Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 cups of Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Salad dressing, or your favorite Italian dressing.
  • 4 Tablespoons of prepared Pesto
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • Grated Parmesan as Garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse and Dry Chicken Breast.
  2. Place in a large Zip Lock Bag and marinade with 1 cup of Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Dressing.
  3. Place in Refrigerator and marinade for at least 4 hours.
  4. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
  5. Using a sharp knife cut a slit, lengthwise, into each chicken breast being careful not to cut all the way through the chicken breast. This will create your pocket.
  6. Spread 1 Tablespoon of prepared Pesto onto the inside bottom of the chicken breast.
  7. Stuff 2-3 Tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese into the pocket of the chicken breast.
  8. Secure the pocket closed using a toothpick or metal skewer.
  9. Place chicken bottom side down on the grill.
  10. Cook for 30-40 minutes turning during grill time. Use reserved 1/2 cup of Italian dressing as a basting sauce during cook time.
  11. Remove from heat when juice run clear.

Notes

Preparation time includes marinating time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4 servings

Serving Size:

1 chicken breast

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 49g

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Konnie Garner

Wednesday 5th of July 2017

Can this be made in the oven? I don't use a grill,but it sounds so good.

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Wednesday 5th of July 2017

I would make it in a skillet on top of the stove so that it get's a nice golden crisp on the outside! It will turn out great! Thanks for stopping by! ~Norine

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