Are you looking for a meal that is absolutely bursting with fresh, vibrant, and incredibly delicious flavor? A complete and wholesome dinner that is both healthy and deeply satisfying? This amazing, from-scratch Chicken with Arugula Pesto, served with a bright pasta salad and juicy roasted tomatoes, is that perfect, all-in-one plate of sunshine.
This isn’t just another chicken recipe; it’s a guide to a stunning, modern, and elegant meal that comes together with surprising ease. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfectly juicy, broiled chicken breast and how to create a unique and zesty, homemade arugula pesto that is a world away from the classic basil version. This is a restaurant-quality meal that is perfect for a special weeknight or for entertaining guests.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Fresh & Healthy Meal
What makes this Chicken with Arugula Pesto so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, fresh flavor profile and its complete, well-balanced composition. The star of the show is a from-scratch arugula pesto, which has a wonderfully bright, peppery, and zesty flavor. This is used to coat tender chicken breasts, which are then cooked to juicy perfection under the broiler. The meal is rounded out with two beautiful sides: a simple and refreshing orecchiette and green bean pasta salad, and sweet, juicy plum tomatoes that are broiled with a touch more pesto and a crispy breadcrumb topping.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Vibrant Meal
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, high-impact ingredients to create its signature bright and peppery flavor.
- The Arugula Pesto (The Star of the Show!): This is a unique and delicious twist on a classic pesto.
- Baby Arugula & Parsley: Instead of the traditional basil, this pesto uses a combination of fresh, peppery baby arugula and bright, clean-tasting fresh parsley. This creates a pesto with a much more zesty, vibrant, and slightly spicy flavor.
- Almonds or Hazelnuts: Toasted almonds or hazelnuts provide a wonderful, rich, and nutty body to the pesto, a delicious alternative to the traditional pine nuts.
- The Chicken:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Lean and healthy, chicken breasts are the perfect canvas for the bold flavors of the arugula pesto. It is crucial to pound the chicken breasts to an even, 1/2-inch thickness for this recipe. This is the secret that guarantees they will cook quickly and evenly under the broiler without drying out.
- The Lemony Pasta Salad:
- Orecchiette Pasta: The name means “little ears” in Italian. This fun, cup-like shape is perfect for catching the light dressing and the other delicious components of the salad.
- Green Beans: A handful of fresh green beans are cooked right along with the pasta for a fantastic, time-saving trick!
Step-by-Step to a Perfect Pesto Chicken Dinner
This elegant meal comes together in just a few simple stages.
Part 1: The Lemony Pasta & Green Bean Salad
Step 1: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the 6 ounces of orecchiette pasta and cook according to the package directions. About 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the 1/2 pound of cut green beans to the pot to cook along with the pasta.
Step 2: Drain the cooked pasta and the beans. Immediately rinse them under cold running water.
Pro Tip: Rinsing the pasta is a crucial step specifically for a pasta salad. It stops the cooking process, which keeps the pasta perfectly al dente and the green beans crisp-tender, and it also rinses off the excess surface starch so your salad won’t be gummy.
Step 3: In a large bowl, toss the drained and cooled pasta and green beans with half of the Parmesan cheese (about 3 tablespoons), 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil, the 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
Part 2: The Vibrant Arugula Pesto
While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare the fresh pesto.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the 3 cups of baby arugula, the 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, the 2 tablespoons of toasted almonds or hazelnuts, the 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of water, the remaining half of the Parmesan cheese, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add salt to your taste and purée the mixture until it is smooth. Transfer the finished pesto to a bowl.
Part 3: Broiling the Chicken and Tomatoes
Step 1: Position an oven rack about 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler.
Step 2: Place your 4 pounded, thin chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet and season them with salt. Rub the chicken all over with about 1/4 cup of your prepared arugula pesto.
Step 3: Broil the chicken, turning it once, for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until it is golden brown and cooked all the way through.
Step 4: While the chicken is broiling, arrange your 8 to 10 halved plum tomatoes, with the cut-side facing up, on another baking sheet. Broil them for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Carefully remove the tomatoes from the oven. Spread each one with a little bit of the arugula pesto and sprinkle them with the 2 teaspoons of whole-wheat breadcrumbs.
Step 6: Broil the tomatoes for 1 more minute, until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasted.
Serve the hot, broiled chicken and tomatoes alongside your prepared pasta salad, with any remaining pesto on the side for drizzling.
The Best Fresh & Easy Chicken with Arugula Pesto
A complete and flavorful meal featuring broiled chicken coated in a fresh arugula pesto, served with a side of pasta salad and pesto-topped tomatoes. A vibrant pesto is made in a food processor with arugula, parsley, and toasted nuts. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are pounded thin, coated with some of the pesto, and then quickly cooked under the broiler. The dish is served with a simple pasta salad of orecchiette and green beans, and broiled tomatoes that are also topped with the pesto.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 6 ounces orecchiette (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons almonds or hazelnuts, toasted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- 2 medium tomatoes, halved
- 2 teaspoons whole-wheat breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Prepare the Pasta Salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook as the label directs. About 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the green beans to the same pot. Drain the pasta and beans, rinse under cold water, and toss in a bowl with half of the Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
- Make the Pesto: While the pasta cooks, preheat the broiler. In a food processor, puree the arugula, parsley, toasted nuts, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of water, the remaining Parmesan cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt to taste.
- Cook the Chicken and Tomatoes: Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them to about 1/2-inch thickness. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and season with salt. Rub all over with 1/4 cup of the prepared arugula pesto.
- Broil the chicken, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- While the chicken cooks, arrange the tomato halves cut-side up on another baking sheet and broil for 2 minutes.
- Spread each tomato half with some of the remaining pesto and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Broil for 1 more minute, until golden.
- Serve the broiled chicken, pesto tomatoes, and the pasta salad, with any remaining pesto on the side.
Notes
- This recipe is a complete meal, with a main protein, a starch, and two vegetable components.
- Cooking the green beans in the same pot as the pasta is an efficient time-saving technique.
- The homemade arugula pesto is used in three ways: as a coating for the chicken, a topping for the tomatoes, and a sauce to be served with the meal.
- Pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness ensures they cook quickly and evenly under the broiler.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This is a fantastic meal for prepping in advance for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
- Make-Ahead: The arugula pesto can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it from browning. The pasta salad can also be made a day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The leftover chicken is fantastic when served cold and sliced on top of a green salad.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Protein: This vibrant and peppery arugula pesto is also an absolutely fantastic pairing with grilled salmon fillets, shrimp, or even some thinly pounded pork tenderloin cutlets.
- Make it a One-Bowl Meal: For an even simpler presentation, you can slice your cooked, broiled chicken and toss it directly into the pasta salad along with the broiled tomatoes.
- Use a Different Nut or Cheese in the Pesto: If you don’t have almonds or hazelnuts, this pesto is also delicious when made with classic pine nuts, walnuts, or even pistachios. You can also substitute the Parmesan cheese with an equal amount of a salty Pecorino Romano.
Enjoy Your New Favorite Fresh & Healthy Meal!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, fresh ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Chicken with Arugula Pesto is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to be both incredibly fast and incredibly elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new staple in your dinner rotation.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and healthy meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does arugula pesto taste like compared to a classic basil pesto?
Arugula pesto has a wonderfully different and exciting flavor profile! While a classic basil pesto is sweet, herbaceous, and fragrant, an arugula pesto is much more peppery, zesty, and has a pleasant, slightly bitter bite. It is a fantastic, bright, and sophisticated alternative.
Q2: What is the absolute best way to pound chicken breasts so they are even?
The key is to place your boneless, skinless chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. This will prevent the chicken from tearing and will keep your workspace clean. Then, use the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or even a heavy skillet to gently pound the thickest part of the chicken breast, working your way out, until the entire piece is an even 1/2-inch thickness.
Q3: Can I make the arugula pesto ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! The homemade arugula pesto is a perfect make-ahead component. You can prepare it completely and store it in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best, most vibrant green color, you can pour a thin layer of olive oil directly on the surface of the pesto before you cover it.
Q4: Can I grill the chicken instead of broiling it?
Of course! An outdoor grill is a fantastic way to cook this chicken. Simply preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. Grill the pesto-coated, thin chicken breasts for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they are cooked through and have beautiful grill marks.
Q5: Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, it’s very easy to make this recipe gluten-free! Simply substitute the orecchiette pasta with your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta, and use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the tomato topping. The arugula pesto and the chicken are naturally gluten-free.