Grilled Pesto Chicken Packs Recipes

GRILLED PESTO CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• Whisk oil, sherry, pesto, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a glass bowl. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Thread marinated chicken, mushrooms, zucchini, red onion, and tomatoes alternately onto skewers. Reserve remaining marinade.
• Place kabobs onto the preheated grill, and cook, turning occasionally and brushing with the reserved marinade, until chicken is cooked and juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes.

GRILLED PESTO-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix together pesto, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Cook chicken on the preheated grill over indirect heat until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GRILLED PESTO CHICKEN PACKS

Steps:

• Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Place 1 chicken breast half, 2 sliced tomatoes and 1 sliced zucchini on one side of four 18x12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spoon 2 tablespoons pesto over chicken mixture on each sheet.
• Fold foil over chicken and vegetables so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again. Allow space on sides for circulation and expansion.
• Cover and grill packets 4 to 5 inches from medium heat 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Place packets on plates. Cut large X across top of packet; fold back foil.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO PESTO

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill or a grill pan for medium heat.
• Whisk together 1 tablespoon of the oil and the lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the chicken and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers.
• Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently, until light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.
• Combine the pine nuts, basil, parsley, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a food processor. Process to make a coarse paste. Add the avocado, lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons oil and process until mostly smooth.
• Grill the chicken, turning often, until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the chicken dolloped with the pesto and any extra pesto on the side.

CHICKEN PIZZA PACKETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Coat four pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square) with cooking spray. Place a quarter of the chicken mixture in the center of each piece. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly. , Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink., Carefully open each packet. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheeses. Seal loosely; grill 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

GRILLED PESTO-FISH FOIL PACK

Steps:

• Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium nonmetal bowl, mix tomatoes, olives and pesto.
• Place fish on 24x12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over fish. Top with tomato mixture. Bring up 2 sides of foil over fish so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space on sides for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.
• Place on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Top with parsley.

SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN WITH WALNUT-DILL PESTO

Steps:

• Remove the packets of giblets from the body of the chickens and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities of the chickens. Rinse the chickens, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
• Spatchcock the chickens: Place the chicken on its breast. Using poultry shears, start at the neck and cut lengthwise down one side of the backbone to the tail. Next, repeat that cut along the otherside of the backbone. Remove the backbone and save it for stock.
• Now, fold the chicken open, like a book, with the skin side down. Use a paring knife to cut along each side of the breastbone. Run your thumbs along both sides of the breastbone and pull the white cartilage out.
• Turn the skin side up and trim the wingtips and any loose skin. The chicken is now spatchcocked. Place the chickens in a nonreactive roasting pan.
• Prepare the pesto: Place the dill, basil, garlic, walnuts, cheese and lemon zest in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. With the machine runing, add the oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 3/4 cup water. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary; the pesto shuld be highly seasoned. Set 1/2 cup pesto aside. pour the remaining pesto over the chickens, spreading it on the meat with a rubber spatula. Turn the birds so you coat both sides. Let the chickens marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for as little as 2 hours or as long as overnight, turning once or twice to coat with marinade; the longer the chickens marinate, the richer the flavor will be.
• Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grate. Arrange the chickens on the grate, skin=side down. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes per side, turning once with tongs and a spatula. the chickens can be a little awkward to turn; you'll need to use both utensils. When you turn the chickens, spread the reserved 1/2 cup pesto on top. You'll probably get flare-ups as the melting fat hits the fire. Keep the birds moving to dodge the flames. If the skin browns to much, lower the heat or move the chickens to a cooler section of the grill. The chickens are done when an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh (but not touching the bone) registers about 180 degrees F.
• Transfer the chickens to a plater, let rest for a few minutes, garnish with the dill sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve.
• Tip 1: Any bird can be spatchcocked and grilled in this fashion, from qual to turkeys.
• Tip 2: Feel free to make the pesto with rosemary (1 cup of leaves) or another fresh herb.