By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 4
720 cal · 50 min
Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Recipe GLPRac4889fbecab48
Succulent chicken thighs stuffed with aromatic pesto and fresh mozzarella, roasted until golden and served alongside a fresh Caprese salad made with ripe tomatoes, basil, and creamy mozzarella.
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Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 tablespoons pesto
½ cup fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Trim any excess skin from the chicken thighs and place them skin-side up in an ovenproof baking dish.
Carefully loosen the skin of each thigh and insert about 1 teaspoon of pesto under the skin along with a small portion of the mozzarella. Distribute the remaining pesto over the top of each thigh.
Season the chicken with the kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over all the thighs.
Place the baking dish in the preheated 400°F oven and roast for approximately 40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh.
While the chicken roasts, prepare the Caprese salad by gently combining the halved cherry tomatoes, remaining fresh mozzarella, and chopped basil in a small bowl.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Serve the pesto-stuffed thighs alongside the fresh Caprese salad.
Comments
Pesto-stuffed chicken thighs are affordable and available everywhere you shop in Charlotte—chicken thighs run $1.50 to $2.50 per pound at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Walmart, and mozzarella and basil are standard stock. The real cost driver is the pesto itself; homemade pesto from fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil can run $3 to $5, but store-bought basil pesto at any major chain costs $4 to $6 per jar and is the shortcut most cooks take. The stated 50 minutes is honest if you buy pesto ready-made; if you're making it from scratch, add 15 minutes of active work with a food processor. This is a straightforward weeknight dish that reheats reasonably well and feeds four with no fussiness—just stuff, pan-sear, and finish in the oven—making it solid for families who want restaurant-quality protein without the theatre.
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