Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm pieces
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Deconstructed Pesto Garnish
- 15 g fresh basil leaves, torn if large
- 30 g pine nuts
- 30 g parmesan cheese, shaved
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 367 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 717 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 146 mg
- Potassium
- 446 mg
- Calcium
- 114 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 380 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 36 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 32 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.35 mg
- Niacin
- 8.8 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 125 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent burning. Wash hands and use a dedicated cutting board to cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, ensuring safe handling of raw poultry.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated, then cover and marinate at room temperature.
Thread the marinated chicken pieces tightly onto the soaked skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.
Place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast them, stirring constantly until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer immediately to a cool plate.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 200 C or 400 F.
Grill the chicken skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking and a nice char. Verify the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74 C or 165 F.
Transfer the cooked skewers to a serving platter. Scatter the fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and shaved parmesan evenly over the hot chicken. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Chef's Notes
- Chicken thighs are much more forgiving than chicken breasts when grilled, staying tender and juicy even over high heat due to their higher fat content.
- Pine nuts can be quite expensive. To keep this recipe strictly budget-friendly, you can easily substitute lightly crushed toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds without losing the intended textural contrast.
- A deconstructed approach to pesto prevents the fresh basil from turning black and bitter on the hot grill, preserving its bright, licorice-like aroma.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken separate from fresh basil and pine nuts to maintain texture.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze grilled chicken only; do not freeze the fresh garnish.
Reheating: Reheat chicken gently in a skillet or oven at 175 degrees Celsius until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Wooden skewers catch fire on the grill
Cause: Skewers were not soaked long enough, or grill flared up from fat dripping
Fix: Move skewers to a cooler zone on the grill and extinguish flames with a quick spritz of water
Prevention: Soak bamboo skewers for at least 30 minutes, or use metal skewers. Trim excess fat from chicken if necessary.
Pine nuts taste bitter or burnt
Cause: Left in the hot skillet too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard and toast a new batch if possible.
Prevention: Stir constantly and remove from the pan immediately once golden, as residual heat will continue cooking them.
Cultural Context
Traditional pesto alla genovese is made by pounding basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil in a marble mortar. Serving these ingredients whole and raw over hot, grilled meat pays homage to those classic Italian flavors while offering a modern, rustic presentation that celebrates the individual textures of each component.
