Pesto Chicken Bowls (Five Ingredients, One Skillet)
Pesto chicken bowls are fresh, Italian-inspired bowls made with seared pesto chicken, orzo, blistered tomatoes, and peppery arugula. The pesto adds the flavor, while the arugula and tomatoes keep it tasting fresh. It’s a one-skillet recipe made with five ingredients that’s fresh, satisfying, and ready in under 35 minutes.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Main ingredients: Chicken, pesto, orzo, cherry tomatoes, and arugula
- Flexible: Use chicken breasts, thighs, or rotisserie chicken. Swap the grain or greens with what you have.
- Best for: Busy weeknights, meal prep, and easy lunches.
- Leftover tip: Store the chicken and pesto, orzo, and arugula separately to keep everything fresh.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Boneless chicken breast or thighs, both work as well as leftover cooked rotisserie, shredded or grilled chicken. Warm it up before adding to the bowl or enjoy it cold.
- Basil Pesto – Homemade or store-bought pesto works. I use homemade pesto that I freeze into portions for convenience
- Orzo – Any small-shaped pasta or rice will work
- Cherry tomatoes – Diced tomatoes work if that’s what’s on hand.
- Arugula– Baby spinach is a good substitute, just less peppery.
- Parmesan cheese – any hard cheese works here; pecorino is a good swap.
Can I use jarred pesto?
Yes. Jarred sauce is convenient, but taste it first, since jarred pesto varies a lot in salt level.
How to Make Pesto Chicken Bowls
- Cook the orzo according to package directions.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and sear the chicken pieces until golden on all sides, stir in the pesto sauce.
- Reduce the heat, then add the tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes until they soften.
- Build the bowls: orzo first, then the chicken-pesto mixture, then arugula and parmesan.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before it adding it to the pan, that’s what gets you a browned exterior.
- Stir a spoonful of pesto into the orzo itself, not just the chicken, for another layer of flavor.
- If you’re searing chicken anyway, cook extra and set part of it aside plain, before the pesto goes in. Plain seared chicken is the start of a different dinner later in the week, not just a reheated leftover.
Make it Your Way
These pesto chicken bowls follow the bowl formula: protein + vegetable + sauce + finish. Swap any of the elements for a completely different bowl. Here are some suggestions:
- Protein: Swap the chicken for shrimp, salmon, or white beans if you want it meatless.
- Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes and arugula are the default, but roasted broccoli or zucchini, sautéed mushrooms, field greens, or spinach will all work.
- Sauce/Flavor: Basil pesto is the base, but sun-dried tomato pesto or a lemony arugula pesto changes the whole bowl without changing a single step.
- Pasta/Grains: Rice, farro, couscous, quinoa, small-shaped pasta, veggie noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.
- Finish: Parmesan, mozzarella cheese, chopped fresh basil or sun-dried tomatoes on top, or swap in toasted pine nuts and a squeeze of lemon juice.
When I want a little extra protein, I make this with quinoa and leftover boneless chicken breasts or shredded chicken for a pesto chicken power bowl. Using leftover chicken saves time for a quick and healthy dinner.
If you like building dinner this way, swap the protein, change the sauce, same method every time, my Bowls Dinner Builder is worth a look.
How to Store Leftovers
Store the chicken-pesto mixture, orzo, and arugula in separate airtight containers for 3 to 4 days. Keeping the arugula separate keeps it from wilting. The pesto may darken slightly in the fridge; that’s normal, not spoilage.
Can I freeze leftover pesto chicken bowls?
You can freeze the pesto sauce and chicken, but the orzo and vegetables will not freeze well.
What to Serve With Chicken Pesto Bowls
These bowls are a full meal on their own, but a simple green salad or roasted vegetables on the side rounds it out.
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Pesto Chicken Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pesto sauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup orzo uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cups baby arugula
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cook the orzo according to package directions.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the pesto sauce.
- Add the tomatoes and cook a few minutes until heated through.
- Divide the orzo between four bowls, top with the chicken-pesto-tomato mixture, and finish with arugula.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Sub diced tomatoes for cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach for arugula, if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
