These easy Chicken Pesto Bowls are made with fresh basil pesto, bursting cherry tomatoes, pan-seared chicken breasts, and farro. This is a delicious one-bowl dinner that is perfect for the summer!
Key Ingredients
- Pesto: I recommend using fresh pesto! Check out my lemon basil pesto for a flavorful homemade pesto recipe!
- Chicken breasts: you are welcome to swap these out for chicken thighs! I like pan-searing the chicken, but you can grill or bake it if you prefer.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: The tomatoes add a pop of sweetness. If you are making this outside of tomato season, you could swap in sauted mushrooms instead.
- Parmesan cheese: Shave the parmesan cheese for added texture.
Tips for making chicken grain bowls
To make this recipe, I have three burners going at once to make this dish come together quickly. One burner for the farro, one for the cherry tomatoes, and one for grilling the chicken.
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Prep ahead tips
To prep this grain bowl in advance, make the homemade pesto up to 3-5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can toss the cooked farro in the pesto up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to enjoy, reheat it on the stovetop.
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I hope you love this recipe! If you try these chicken pesto bowls, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Pesto Bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz farro I use 10 minute farro, see notes
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought basil pesto
- freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 breasts, see note for prep tips
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry or sugar plum tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook farro according to directions on box and farro is chewy with a slight bite (see note). Drain. Toss with pesto.
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat a large pan on medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook on one side for 5-7 minutes then flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink the in middle and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest for 2 minutes then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, make the tomatoes. Heat a medium pan on medium heat. Add tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Stir occasionally and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until tomatoes just begin to burst open and soften.
- To assemble the bowls, place the pesto farro at the bottom of the bowl, top with diced chicken, and roasted tomatoes. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan. Grab a big fork and dig in!
Notes
- I get 10-minute farro at Trader Joe's. Farro can take 10-40 minutes to cook depending on the type that you get. Follow the directions on the box of your farro and cook until chewy and slightly tender.
- To prep the chicken, I always recommend making sure the entire chicken breast is a similar thickness throughout by pounding the chicken breast. This will prevent one half from being rare while the other half is overcooked. To do this, place a piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or saran wrap on top of the chicken and use a heavy pot or meat pounder to pound into a similar thickness throughout.
- I highly recommend using this lemon basil pesto.
- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or serve cold.
Want to save this recipe to come back to it?
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cynthia chapline says
I loved this yummy recipe! And it was so easy!
Caitlin from CC's Table says
Oh I am so glad! Thank you so much!