Why You Should Try This Weber Kettle Grilled Pesto Chicken
- Delicious flavor pairing – Simple ingredients deliver a surprisingly rich result. The savory chicken and bright, herbaceous pesto complement each other perfectly for an Italian-inspired meal.
- Quick and easy – Mix pesto with the chicken, grill on your Weber Kettle using indirect heat, let it rest, and serve. The steps are straightforward and ideal for weeknights or casual gatherings.
- Budget-friendly – This recipe stretches your dollar. Leg quarters and a small amount of pesto make an economical yet impressive dinner. Scale the quantities easily to feed more people.
Ingredients For Weber Kettle Grilled Pesto Chicken
- 1 chicken leg quarter
- ¼ cup pesto (see recipe below)
Ingredients And Directions For Making Pesto Genovese
- 3 cups (about 3 ounces) whole basil leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan)
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt, to taste
To make the pesto: combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Directions For Grilling Weber Kettle Pesto Chicken
1. Prepare your Weber Kettle for indirect grilling – Light charcoal in a chimney starter. When the coals are ready, pour them onto the charcoal grate and use tongs to form two even piles on opposite sides of the kettle, leaving the center free for indirect heat. Add a few extra briquettes to each pile if desired.
2. Prep the chicken and add pesto – Bring the leg quarter to room temperature and pat it dry. Gently separate the skin from the meat without tearing it, and press as much pesto as will fit under the skin. Use a tablespoon to spread additional pesto over the outside, fully coating the piece.
3. Grill over indirect heat – Place the chicken in the center of the grate, over the cool zone, and close the lid. Grill for about 40 minutes, depending on size, until a meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Add more charcoal to the side piles as needed to maintain heat.
4. Rest and serve – Remove the chicken and let it rest on a plate for about 5 minutes. Slice between the drumstick and thigh and serve warm.
Variations And Substitutions For Weber Kettle Grilled Pesto Chicken
Other cuts work well – Pesto works under the skin of any chicken cut: breasts, thighs, whole chickens, or Cornish hens. Adjust cooking times for different sizes and bone-in versus boneless pieces.
Use store-bought pesto – If you’re short on time, a quality jarred pesto from the grocery store is a fine shortcut that still yields great flavor.
Add smoke for depth – To introduce a smoky note, add a few wood chips or small soaked wood chunks on top of the charcoal. They’ll impart a subtle smoke that complements the pesto.
Tips And Tricks For Weber Kettle Grilled Pesto Chicken
Hinged grate is handy – A hinged cooking grate makes it easy to add charcoal or wood without removing the whole grate.
Use a spoon to lift the skin – If your fingers can’t reach, the back of a teaspoon gently lifts the skin so you can slide in pesto for even coverage.
Use a drip pan – Place a disposable aluminum pan with about an inch of water on the charcoal grate as a drip pan. It helps keep the chicken moist and catches drippings.
Grilled Pesto Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
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Weber Kettle grill
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Charcoal chimney starter
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BBQ tongs
Ingredients
- 1 leg quarter chicken
- ¼ cup pesto, recipe below
Ingredients For Pesto Genovese
- 3 cups whole basil leaves (about 3 ounces)
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, or parmesan
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Pinch salt, to taste
Directions For Making Pesto Genovese
- Place basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. While running, slowly add olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
Instructions
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Set up your Weber Kettle for indirect smoking: light charcoal in a chimney starter, pour coals onto the grate, and move them to both sides to create two piles, leaving the center for indirect heat. Add extra briquettes if needed.
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Bring the chicken to room temperature and pat dry. Gently separate the skin from the meat and press pesto under the skin, then spread more pesto on top to coat the piece.
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Place the chicken in the center of the grill grate and close the lid. Grill over indirect heat about 40 minutes or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Monitor and add charcoal as the coals burn down.
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Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut between the drumstick and thigh and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.