Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Margherita

Olive Garden Chicken Margherita features juicy chicken breasts topped with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto and a lemon garlic sauce. This is one of my favorite recipes and it’s super simple to make!

What You Will Love About Chicken Margherita

What’s not to love? Juicy chicken breast topped with fresh tomatoes (I have so many!), homemade pesto and fresh mozzarella! The other amazing thing is that you can cook it in just 15 minutes.

Chicken Margherita Ingredients

There are definitely some short cuts you can make: pre-made marinade and store-bought pesto. That said – I’ll give you options every step of the way! Here’s where to start:

• chicken breasts – or 4 small chicken breasts – we all know some chicken breasts are ginormous and definitely enough for two people. I had purchased a bag of Perdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts – so with those – you’ll want to use four.
• Olive Garden Italian salad dressing – short cut you can use store-bought Italian dressing or make your own – you could also sprinkle with Italian seasoning (oregano, basil & thyme) if you’re not a marinade fan
• olive oil
• fresh mozzarella – don’t short cut this – buy a log of fresh mozzarella – the cheese pull is incredible and the flavor is much lighter!
• pesto – You can make your own (recipe here) or just use store-bought
• grape tomatoes, sliced in half – I used some cherry tomatoes and some regular tomatoes here – use what you have.
• butter
• minced garlic – or use 2 cloves garlic if using fresh
• lemon – use fresh if possible

How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Margherita

You will be cooking on the stove and in the oven for this – but it all goes very quickly! Let’s get started!

• Place the chicken breasts into a gallon sized zip top bag. Add Italian dressing and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
• PESTO – If you’re making your pesto from scratch, make the night before and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to Broil (high) 
• Add olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Using an instant read thermometer, chicken temp should be approx 145-150º (It will finish cooking in the oven)
• Remove chicken from the skillet and place in a rectangular baking dish you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray.
• Add two slices of mozzarella cheese to the top of the chicken. Add a tablespoon of pesto on top of the fresh mozzarella. Add sliced tomatoes to baking dish. Sprinkle tomatoes lightly with olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Place baking dish in the oven for approx 3-5 minutes, and broil until cheese begins to melt and brown. Be sure to watch this closely as broilers vary in how quickly they brown. 
• While the chicken is cooking, on stove top over medium heat in skillet, add butter, garlic, and lemon juice from 1/2 lemon. Whisk together and heat thoroughly. Turn to low until ready to serve 
• When cheese melts and starts to brown, remove baking dish from oven.  
• Serve chicken and tomatoes and top with lemon butter sauce, extra pesto, fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. 

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

Variations

• Chicken Prep – you can either pan fry, grill or air fry your chicken breast. I pan fried for convenience but would definitely choose air frying going forward.
• Cheese – the recipe calls for fresh mozzarella – you can use regular mozzarella in a pinch – but it will taste different
• Vegetables – the only vegetable is tomatoes but you could easily add mushrooms, zucchini or even saute peppers and onions with your chicken breast and add those.
• Pesto – Jarred pesto is delicious and so easy to just grab and use – but if you have an ample basil plant like I do – then making fresh is worth the extra 10 minutes

What to serve with Grilled Chicken Margherita

• Olive Garden Signature Salad & Italian Dressing
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Garlic Bread

More Olive Garden Recipes

• Chicken Scampi
• Shrimp Scampi
• Oven Baked Tortellini Alfredo
• 20+ Olive Garden Recipes