Grilled Chicken Margherita
This Grilled Chicken Margherita is a homemade copycat version of the popular Olive Garden dish. Tender marinated chicken is grilled and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, an easy homemade pesto sauce and fresh juicy tomatoes. It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will love.
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Margherita Recipe
- Copycat version of the popular Olive Garden dish
- Tender marinated chicken grilled to perfection
- Melted fresh mozzarella cheese
- Homemade Pesto Sauce dolloped on top
- Fresh chopped sweet cherry tomatoes
- Perfect easy dinner
If you’ve enjoyed Olive Garden’s Grilled Chicken Margherita, then you will love this homemade copycat version. I will confess, I don’t eat at Olive Garden, I prefer to make all my own Italian meals at home and have always been that way.
But when I heard about this dish, I know it sounded like something I would love and so I decide to make it at home myself. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I marinated the chicken first, to tenderize it and give it lots of flavor. Made a batch of my Homemade Pesto Sauce, grabbed some fresh mozzarella and some cherry tomatoes.
It’s such an easy dish that even if you don’t have much experience in the kitchen, you can master it, I promise! Your family will love it, even your picky eaters will be asking for more.
🛒 Ingredients for Chicken Margherita
- Chicken
- Homemade Pesto Sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
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🔪 How to Make Copycat Grilled Chicken Margherita
Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt and pepper to a small mixing cup or bowl and whisk until emulsified.
Using a meat mallet, pound out the thicker side of your chicken, making sure they are even in thickness. This will help the chicken cook more evenly.
Add your chicken to a food storage bag or container, then pour the marinade over the top. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 4 hours.
Take your chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter for about 15 minutes, while you prepare the pesto sauce.
Heat your outdoor grill or grill pan and grill the chicken for several minutes on each side or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken, so always use a meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked properly.
Add a slice of the mozzarella cheese over the tops of each piece of chicken, close the lid (place a lid on top, if using a grill pan), then turn off the heat and allow the cheese to melt.
While the chicken is resting, add some pesto sauce over the tops, then add the diced tomatoes over the pesto.
I like to garnish with a basil leaf, some chopped parsley and more dried oregano.
☑️ Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze.
🍴 What to Serve with Chicken Margherita
- Caprese Salad
- Green Beans Almondine
- Cheesy Roasted Asparagus with Crispy Prosciutto
- Creamed Spinach
- Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash
💡 Tips
- Allow the chicken at least 4 hours to marinate in the fridge. You can marinate it up to 8 hours if needed, but I wouldn’t recommend any longer, or less than 4 hours. I have found 4 hours is the sweet spot, tenderizing the chicken and infusing flavor at the same time.
- If you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to make your own pesto sauce, you can always use store bought. Just read the label and buy the one with the cleanest ingredients.
- Don’t skip the step to pound out the chicken. I do this any time I grill chicken as it really helps to ensure the chicken is cooked evenly, so you don’t have thinner spots that will get overcooked and dry.
🔄 Substitutions and Additions
- You can also add a drizzle of Balsamic Reduction (Glaze) over the top right before serving to give it a little extra flavor.
- To add even more flavor, instead of just adding chopped tomatoes, you can make a bruschetta-like mixture and spoon it over the top instead. You can refer to my Easy Bruschetta recipe for more on how to make it.
- You can make this same recipe with pork or steak if you’d like. Just be sure you also allow enough time to marinate for the best flavor.
- Add toasted pignoli (pine nuts) over the top for a little crunch and nutty flavor.
Can I make Grilled Chicken Margherita in the oven instead of grilling?
If you don’t have an outdoor grill or grill pan, you can roast the chicken in the oven instead. After marinating, place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack, and cook at 425°F for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F.
Is grilled chicken Margherita from Olive Garden healthy?
It’s considered one of the healthiest and lowest carb items on their menu, which is why I made my own homemade version. In my opinion, there is nothing better than marinating and grilling your own chicken and preparing homemade pesto sauce!
What’s the difference between margarita and margherita?
Margarita is a an alcoholic drink made with tequila and Margherita refers to a classic pizza topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.
🍽️ More Keto Chicken Recipes
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Grilled Chicken Margherita
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, about 4 ounces each
- 1/2 cup Homemade Pesto Sauce
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt and pepper to a small mixing cup or bowl and whisk until emulsified.
- Using a meat mallet, pound out the thicker side of your chicken, making sure they are even in thickness. This will help the chicken cook more evenly. Add your chicken to a food storage bag or container, then pour the marinade over the top. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Take your chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter for about 15 minutes, while you prepare the pesto sauce.
- Heat your outdoor grill or grill pan and grill the chicken for several minutes on each side or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken, so always use a meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked properly.
- Add a slice of the mozzarella cheese over the tops of each piece of chicken, close the lid (place a lid on top, if using a grill pan), then turn off the heat and allow the cheese to melt.
- While the chicken is resting, add some pesto sauce over the tops, then add the diced tomatoes over the pesto. I like to garnish with a basil leaf, some chopped parsley and more dried oregano.
*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.
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