Balsamic Grilled Chicken

Cheesy balsamic grilled chicken topped with basil pesto, tomato, avocado, and balsamic glaze. This easy summer recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! 

Serve it alongside Pineapple Rice and Watermelon Salad for a complete meal.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken

In my opinion, nothing says summer food like a balsamic grilled chicken. It’s an incredibly easy recipe to pull together for a weeknight meal or summer entertaining. In fact, it comes together in about 30 minutes with easy ingredients!

It starts with the chicken breast that is seasoned with spices, fresh garlic, and lemon juice. Then it is grilled until juicy tender. And topped with cheese, fresh basil pesto, avocado, tomato, and balsamic glaze.

Every bite is loaded with delicious fresh pesto flavor, creamy avocado, and sweet glaze. Not to mention all the cheese squished in between. It’s seriously so good and so easy to pull together.

Ingredients You Will Need:

• Chicken breast 
• Olive oil
• Spices – Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Honey
• Cheddar cheese
• Basil pesto
• Tomatoes
• Avocado 
• Balsamic glaze 

Balsamic glaze is sold at most supermarkets these days but if you can’t find it, you can always make your own. It’s really easy to make with only two ingredients.

How to Make Grilled Balsamic Chicken Breast

• Step 1: First slice your chicken breasts in half lengthwise. If needed, pound the chicken to about 1/2-inch thickness. 
• Step 2: Combine the garlic, lemon, and spice mixture in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to combine. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes while you preheat the grill.

• Step 3: Preheat the grill on medium-high heat. Don’t forget to clean and oil the grates. Add the chicken and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Add cheddar cheese in the last minute of cooking.
• Step 4: Remove the chicken from the grill and top with pesto, avocado, tomato, and balsamic glaze.

How Long Does it Take to Grill Chicken?

These chicken cutlets grill in about 2-3 minutes per side. Since they are halved lengthwise to about 1/2-inch thickness they do not require as much cooking time as a whole breast would. So keep an eye on them and start checking for doneness around 2 minutes.

I like to grill the cutlets on one side for about 3 minutes then flip to the other side and grill for an additional 2 minutes. Check for doneness and grill for another minute if needed.

I recommend investing in an instant-read cooking thermometer. Chicken is done when it registers at 165 F.

What Goes Good with Grilled Chicken?

Just about anything! This balsamic grilled chicken breast recipe pairs well with fresh salad, grilled veggies, or starchy side. Try these sides for an easy summer meal:

• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
• Creamy Orzo with Grilled Vegetables
• Cilantro Lime Coconut Rice

If you try Balsamic Grilled Chicken, don’t forget to leave feedback and a rating.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Katya
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

Cheesy balsamic grilled chicken breast topped with pesto, tomato, avocado, and balsamic glaze. It’s an easy summer meal that comes together in under 30 minutes! 

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 2 medium breasts)
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

To Serve:

• 4 slices cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil pesto
• 1–2 tomatoes on the vine, thinly sliced
• 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
• Balsamic glaze
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
• Fresh basil, thinly sliced, optional

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Instructions

1. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to about 1/2-inch thickness. If needed, pound each cutlet between plastic wrap until desired thickness.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, and salt. Add chicken to the mixture and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes while pre-heating the grill.
3. Pre-heat the grill on medium high heat. Clean and oil the grates. Add chicken and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, covered, until cooked through. Thicker parts of the breast may require an additional minute or so. In the last minute of cooking, add the cheese and cook until melted.
4. Remove the chicken to a platter, top with pesto, slice of avocado, tomato, and drizzle of balsamic glaze. If desired, garnish with fresh basil. I also like to add a light sprinkle of salt over the tomato and avocado, just before serving.

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Notes

• Cheddar cheese: I love using cheddar cheese in this recipe. It’s sharp, pungent flavor pairs so well with the sweetness of the balsamic and creaminess of the avocado. But if you like something milder, fresh mozzarella is a great option.
• Balsamic Glaze: Balsamic glaze also known as balsamic reduction is sold at most supermarkets. I usually find it in the oil/vinegar aisle.

Keywords: fresh, summer, in season, easy, grilled chicken