Lemon Pesto Chicken Recipe » Sybaritica

Lemon Pesto Chicken Recipe

This particular recipe was inspired by not much more than a need to use some basil I had in the fridge before it wilted away. I had a couple of chicken pieces set aside for supper and I decided it would be nice to bake them with a nice pesto marinade. A little lemon zest added to the Pesto makes for a lovely sparkle of flavor.

The Basic Method

Making a Pesto with added Lemon Zest

 Use a mortar and pestle to grind all the flavoring ingredients to a smooth paste, adding the olive oil a little at a time as you do so.

Marinating Chicken in Pesto

Slash the chicken pieces in several places to allow the marinade to penetrate and then rub the paste all over them, making sure to get some under the skin and deep into the slashes. Allow to sit and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Baking Lemon Pesto Chicken

Bake the chicken on a wire rack at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or so, until cooked through and nicely golden.

Your Recipe Card:

Print Recipe This Lemon Pesto Chicken Recipe is simple to prepare. You could use a store-bought Pesto, but fresh Basil, Parsley and Garlic are far better.

• 1 ½ lbs. Chicken pieces;
• ½ cup chopped fresh Basil;
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Flat-leafed Parsley;
• 1 tbsp. minced Garlic;
• 1 tbsp. finely minced Lemon Zest;
• ¾ tsp. Salt;
• ½ tsp. ground Black Pepper;
• 2 – 3 tbsp. Olive Oil;

• Grind all the flavoring ingredients together in a pestle until smooth, adding the oil a little at a time to produce a paste.
• Slash the chicken pieces in several places and rub the paste all over each pieces, including under the skin.
• Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for not less than three hours.
• Bake the chicken on a wire rack at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or.