Chicken Margherita is tender and flavor packed grilled chicken that is smothered with mozzarella, pesto, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Liven up dinnertime with this restaurant quality meal that’s quick and easy to make at home!

Impressive and high-quality food doesn’t have to be stressful to prepare.  For more simple but delish grilled chicken try Grilled Barbecue Chicken, Grilled Key Lime Chicken, and Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken.

Chicken Margherita (Grill or Stove Top!)

Chicken Margherita can be grilled outdoors or inside on a kitchen stove top.  Either way you choose to cook it, the chicken will turn out tender and juicy.  Every bite will explode with flavors from the tangy and slightly sweet and salty marinade.  The ooey gooey cheese and the juicy tomatoes add the perfect textures to the soft chicken.  Then, the nutty pesto balances the sweeter tastes and brings a rich garlic flavor.  Altogether, it is colorful and delicious, and best of all, easy to prepare at home!

This is a huge hit meal that features the best chicken ever!  It is so tender and tasty!  Make this chicken in bulk to save yourself time because you will crave it often!  There will be no leftovers since every bite is simply heavenly!  So, double or triple the recipe and store some for last minute dinners from the freezer.  You will use this chicken again and again because your family will rave over it.   It is a tried and true family meal you don’t want to miss!

Chicken Margherita Ingredients:

Common items that you may already have on hand fill this ingredient list.  They combine together to create a perfectly balanced dinner that is both colorful and delish!

Try This Next Za’atar Chicken

• Balsamic vinegar: Tenderizes the meat because of the acidity and adds a sweet, tangy flavor.
• Honey: Whisk into the marinade to adds sweetness to the chicken.
• Garlic: About 3 cloves minced will add just the right amount of garlic.
• Olive oil: The base of the marinade. It that helps bring the flavors all throughout the chicken and keep it moist while grilling.
• Italian seasoning: The perfect blend of seasoning.
• Salt and pepper: To taste.
• Chicken: Boneless, skinless breasts are easiest on the grill.
• Mozzarella cheese: Sliced ooey gooey cheese covers the chicken.
• Basil pesto: Tops the chicken with a nutty basil and garlic flavor.
• Cherry tomatoes: Sliced and loaded on top of the chicken for color and taste.
• Basil: Freshly chopped for garnish to create a nice presentation.

Let’s Cook Some Chicken!

A 5-star meal is easy to achieve with this simple to follow recipe.  Whisk together a tangy marinade and allow your chicken to soak in the flavor.  Then, toss it on a hot grill, smother it with amazing toppings, and you will have a professional looking dinner ready to serve!

1. Whisk together marinade: In a medium sized bowl whisk the balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Grill Instructions: Heat the grill to medium high heat. Grill the chicken on each side about 6 minutes or until cooked throughout and no longer pink. Top with mozzarella cheese, pesto, tomatoes and chopped basil.
3. Skillet Instructions: In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, discard the marinade and reserve ¼ cup and add the chicken to the skillet. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. Add the reserved marinade and cook until the sauce reduces. Top with mozzarella cheese, pesto, tomatoes and chopped basil.

Variations of Chicken:

Chicken Margherita variations are reminiscent of flavors found in caprese sandwiches, salads, and skewers.  Build this grilled chicken into a thick layered sandwich like this Basil Pesto Chicken Sandwich or turn it bite sized and serve on a skewer.  Load it on top of fresh pasta, bruschetta, gnocchi, or a homemade zucchini pizza crust. There are endless possibilities, but here are a few more to try:

• Sauce: Make your own homemade pesto when possible because the flavor is just so much better!  Store-bought will also work well if you are in a rush.  Or swap the pesto sauce entirely, and replace it with a marinara sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
• Tomato: Although cherry tomatoes are my first choice because of their convenient size, use any tomato and dice it into bite size for topping the chicken.
• Marinade: My absolutely perfect chicken marinade also works well with this chicken if you prefer to use it instead.
• Serve with: Baked Zucchini Fries, 10 Minute Pesto Pasta, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, or Sauteed Garlic Asparagus with Bacon.

Can You Make Ahead Margherita Chicken?

The best part of this meal is how quick and easy it is to prepare and how impressively delicious it is!  It is simple to make ahead and store for an effortless weeknight meal.  Store the chicken separately from the toppings and build just prior to serving.

• Refrigerated: Cooked chicken breasts will remain safe to eat for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator.
• Frozen: For the best quality chicken, do not freeze more than 4 months.
• Thaw: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and use within 3 days. Or thaw in cool water and use immediately.

More Savory Chicken Recipes:

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Za’atar Chicken

Seasoned with a traditional Middle Eastern Za’atar spice blend and grilled, this Za’atar chicken is juicy and packed with unique flavors. In just 20 minutes you’ll have a flavorful and filling dinner that no one will forget!

If you have never heard of Za’atar seasoning, you are not alone! I just heard of it recently, and now I’m hooked! It’s a great savory blend of warm and earthy seasonings that will really wow your taste buds. You can also make the spice at home! If you like homemade spices, you’ll have to try this Homemade Fajita Seasoning, this better than store bought Italian Seasoning, and this Taco Seasoning too!

Grilled Za’atar Chicken

So at this point you may be wondering what is Za’atar seasoning? It is a blend of savory, nutty, and earthy spices that usually includes oregano, thyme, marjoram, and sumac. There are different blends of Za’atar seasoning based on where you are eating it. Kind of like curry the ingredients can change based on the area it’s made in. I have a link to the Za’atar seasoning blend in the recipe box below too if you want to make it, or you can pick it up from the store.

Grilled Za’atar Chicken is quickly marinated in the Za’atar seasoning and olive oil and grilled to perfection. I really think you are going to love this dish! It’s an easy 20 minute dinner that would go great with some pita bread and hummus. I also love with baba ganoush which goes great with this Za’atar seasoning. You can actually sprinkle some on top and the flavor is incredible. I think this will be a new family favorite!

Ingredients

These simple ingredients combine to make the most delicious and moist chicken. This Za’atar chicken is so unique, and amazingly flavorful! If you are looking for a great easy dinner, then this is the recipe for you! See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: If you get a breast that is really thick, then you’ll want to flatten it out a bit so that it will all cook evenly on the grill.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is a must for this recipe. It’s a great quality oil that helps the flavors in the seasonings really pop.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is just what this recipe needs to bring out all of these gorgeous flavors!
• Za’atar Seasoning: I love making this blend at home! It is really herby and nutty, and perfect on meat. I add sesame seeds, coriander, and salt to my blend and I think it’s fantastic!
• Garlic: Minced garlic is one of my favorite things to eat on chicken. It’s so full of flavor and makes every bite the perfect one!

Za’atar Chicken Recipe

This recipe is so easy! I love how quickly it comes together and it really is so delicious. I ate it with some tomatoes and pita bread and it was perfection. Some of my kids added salt and pepper, but I thought it was perfect the way it was. You can make it however you like, and I know you are going to love it!

Popular Recipe Grilled Fish with Lemon and Capers

1. Whisk: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, za’atar seasoning, and garlic.
2. Put in Bag: Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag then pour the mixture over the chicken.
3. Refrigerate: Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
4. Grill: Grill chicken breasts on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165° Fahrenheit.
5. Enjoy: Let the chicken rest before slicing and enjoying!

Tips for Grilling Chicken

Here are a few simple ways to make yourself the master of the grill! Once your friends and family get a bite of your grilled Za’atar chicken, they’ll be hooked. It’s hard not to be when they’re so juicy and flavorful.

• Use a Thermometer: This step is super important so that your chicken doesn’t dry out on the grill. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken. You can take them off the grill when the temperature inside reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cook them any more than that, they may dry out.
• Let Rest: The key to juicy grilled Za’atar chicken is letting it rest for a minute or two after you pull it off the grill. This allows all of the tasty juices to reabsorb, giving you chicken breast that will melt in your mouth! If you cut into them too soon after grilling, those juices may be released instead of absorbing back into the meat.
• Dripping: If you have seasoning and oil dripping off of your chicken, it will make the flames touch the meat and that’s where the black burned part comes from. If you don’t want crispy crunchy parts on your chicken, make sure that your seasoning is all over your chicken, but not dripping off.

Storing Leftovers

Who doesn’t wan’t grilled Za’atar chicken for leftovers? This recipe makes enough to serve eight people, so if you need to save your leftovers here is how.

In the Refrigerator: Store your cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Chicken Recipes

I love a simple chicken dinner! But sometimes chicken can taste boring when you are always making it the same way. Here are some recipes that will give you great ideas to keep your chicken tasting unique and juicy!

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