Air Fryer Pesto Chicken Recipe
This air fryer pesto chicken is such a delicious flavorful chicken that is easy to make! The whole family loves this delicious tender chicken made with simple ingredients that create a great flavor!
I love a quick and easy meal that is also delicious! This pesto air fryer chicken makes a tasty dinner or quick lunch that comes together easily! This air fryer recipe makes such an easy dinner or quick lunch. This easy chicken recipe is full of flavor and can be served in a ton of different ways.
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FAQ & Tips for this Air Fryer Pesto Chicken Recipe
How to serve this chicken-
This easy pesto chicken is super tasty on it’s own served up with a simple side of veggies or salad for a complete meal. It is also great served over your favorite pasta for an easy pasta dinner or even zucchini noodles for a low-carb dinner. You can also use it as a topping for pizza or to make a chicken pesto flatbread. I like to add some fresh cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese for a perfect simple pizza! It is also great on a salad for a quick and easy dinner.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes! In this recipe I used boneless skinless chicken breasts but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Boneless chicken thighs are dark meat and have more fat content so the texture and flavor will be a little different than if you use chicken breasts, but still delicious!
Can I use premade pesto sauce?
Yes! I like to make homemade pesto for this recipe but you can easily swap it out for store-bought pesto. There are several brands you can get from the store from shelf stable jars like Prego basil pesto sauce or you can find refrigerated pesto in the produce section of many grocery stores. You can find nut free and dairy free pesto if your family has dietary restrictions.
Don’t overcook your chicken-
Depending on the size of your chicken, and your air fryer your cooking time may vary. Use a meat thermometer to check to make sure it is cooked to an internal temperature of 165. If you’re unsure you can do a test batch with a few pieces to see how long to cook your chicken and get the right timing. Make sure to arrange the chicken evenly spaced in the air fryer basket.
Can I make this chicken ahead of time?
Yes! You can make pesto chicken ahead of time for when you need a quick and easy protein source to have ready to eat anytime! It is a great addition to dinner recipes, a tasty snack or great for making for a lunch salad. You can even chop up the chicken into smaller pieces and add some mayo for a delicious sandwich!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Pesto Chicken
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 Cup of Fresh Basil Leaves
2 Tbsp Pine Nuts
3 Garlic Cloves
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
Salt and black pepper
Here’s how to Make Air Fryer Pesto Chicken
To make the pesto–
Place basil leaves in a food processor add pine nuts, grated parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, chopped garlic cloves.
Pulse the food processor until the pesto is well blended.
Add in olive oil gradually pulsing between additions until you have a smooth pesto
Pat the chicken breast dry with paper towels, using a sharp knife cut the chicken into bite size pieces and put in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat.
Pour the pesto sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. If desired reserve 1/4 of the sauce for serving.
Preheat the air fryer to 400
Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer, and cook for 10 minutes on 400
Turn the chicken pieces over and air fry for 4- 5 more minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165f.
Remove from the air fryer and top with additional sauce or sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
Air Fryer Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 Cup of fresh basil
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- salt black pepper
Instructions
- To make the pesto-
- Place basil leaves in a food processor add pine nuts, grated parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, chopped garlic cloves.
- Pulse the food processor until the pesto is well blended.
- Add in olive oil gradually pulsing between additions until you have a smooth pesto
- Pat the chicken breast dry with paper towels, cut into small pieces and put in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat.
- Pour the pesto sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. If desired reserve 1/4 of the sauce for serving.
- Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer, and cook for 10 minutes on 400
- Turn the chicken pieces over and air fry for 4- 5 more minutes.
- Remove from the air fryer and top with additional sauce or sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.
- Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
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