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Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

May 1, 2017 · 28 Comments

Chicken Margherita

Chicken Recipes· Copycat Recipes· Italian

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A collage photo of Chicken Margherita
Olive Garden's Chicken Margherita in a casserole dish

Olive Garden's copycat Chicken Margherita made with grilled chicken breasts topped with fresh grape tomatoes, mozzarella, basil pesto and a lemon garlic sauce.

Chicken Margherita; Olive Garden copycat recipe in a red casserole dish.

It's time for another copycat recipe since you guys love them so much. This time it's one of Olive Garden's newest menu items, Chicken Margherita. 

I've mentioned before that whenever we drive to Florida, we try to stop in the same area overnight mainly because we take our two dogs and have to reserve a hotel ahead of time.

This also means there there are a limited number of decent restaurants (no fast food for us), that provide take out so we can pick up our food and not have to leave the dogs alone in the hotel room.

Which I'm sure would drive the guests crazy because they bark at the slightest noise and we wouldn't be there to keep them calm. One of those restaurants is Olive Garden.

A close up of a plate of food with Chicken Margherita

What we like about Olive Garden is that when we know the time we will get to the area, we can order what we want online and specify the pick up time.

This also saves a ton of time; especially when you've been driving down I-95 for 12 hours and you just want a decent hot meal and not to feel confined in a car any more.

On our last trip during Spring break, I decided to try Olive Gardens' Chicken Margherita. I wanted something light, yet filling and how can you go wrong with grilled chicken, pesto, mozzarella and tomatoes? It also came with parmesan crusted zucchini and the website says it was only 590 calories...BONUS!

This copycat version of Chicken Margherita was delicious and the chicken was so moist. Of course, I had to try to make this at home and I have to say it tasted just like the restaurant version.

This recipe has a few steps and from start to finish takes about 1 hour to make, but you can prepare it in steps partially the night before if you're in a time crunch during the week. Here is what you have to do.

A close up Chicken Margherita in a red casserole dish.

How do you  prepare The Chicken?

To make sure my chicken breasts were moist as well, I first brined them in a mixture of water, sugar and kosher salt for about 2 hours. You can do this overnight as well, but the limited time I did was fine too.

Next, you want to grill the chicken until it's cooked through to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F . I recommend using a 4oz. boneless chicken breast; which took approximately 10 minutes to grill.

Remove from the heat, set aside or keep covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble.

Chicken Margherita on a fork

How do you Make Pesto?

Pesto is super simple to make. Simply add fresh basil, garlic, Pecorino Romano cheese, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and pine nuts (you can leave these out if you don't have them or are allergic to tree nuts).

Pulse all ingredients in a mini food processor until smooth. You can make the pesto up to 2 days before and keep tightly covered in the refrigerator.

How do you Make the Lemon Garlic Sauce?

In a small saucepan, melt some butter; then add minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute; then stir in some flour.

Add fresh lemon juice and chicken broth and stir about 3-5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. You can make this the night before and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.

Chicken Margherita in a casserole dish.

assemble the Chicken Margherita

Now it's time to assemble the chicken. First, preheat your oven to 425°F; then place the grilled chicken in an oven safe baking dish.

Top each chicken breast with mozzarella,  pesto and then top with halved grape tomatoes.

Next, pour the lemon garlic sauce on top of the chicken and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.

If you are preparing this using chicken that has been refrigerated first, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to placing it in the oven or the chicken may not be hot enough when the cheese melts.

Chicken Margherita on a fork

OMG this homemade version of grilled Chicken Margherita was incredible and I will definitely be making this recipe again very soon. My family really enjoyed it as well.

In fact, I made extra the first time and froze the leftovers. We've eaten it a second time and it tasted just as good the second time as it did the first. ~Enjoy!

Visit the recipe index to search for more recipes by category. 

Olive Garden\'s Chicken Margherita in a casserole dish

 

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Chicken Margherita on a fork

Chicken Margherita (Olive Garden Copycat)

Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
Enjoy Olive Garden's newest menu item, Chicken Margherita, at home. Grilled chicken breasts topped with fresh grape tomatoes, mozzarella, basil pesto and a lemon garlic sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Entree
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 6- (4-ounce) Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • 2 c. Water
  • ¼ c. Kosher Salt
  • ¼ c. Granulated Sugar

For the Pesto

  • 2 c. Fresh Basil
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
  • 3-4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp. Pine Nuts, if desired

For the Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • 2 tbsp. Butter
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
  • ½ c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Chicken Margherita Assembly

  • 6- 4(ounce) Grilled Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • ½ c. Prepared Pesto
  • 1 c. Grape Tomatoes, halved
  • 6 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
  • ½ c. Prepared Lemon Garlic Sauce

Instructions
 

For the Chicken

  • Combine the water, salt and sugar in a resealable plastic bag and mix until dissolved. Add the chicken and refrigerate from 2-24 hours. 
  • Grill the chicken until it's cooked through to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F; approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, set aside or keep covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble.

For the Pesto

  • Combine all of the ingredients starting with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a mini food processor and blend until the consistency is smooth. If needed, add the additional 1 tablespoon of oil. Keep stored in a tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

For the Lemon Garlic Sauce

  • In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute; then stir in some flour. Add fresh lemon juice and chicken broth and stir about 3-5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. You can make this the night before and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. 

Chicken Margherita Assembly

  • First, preheat your oven to 425°F; then place the grilled chicken in an oven safe baking dish.
  • Top each chicken breast with mozzarella, pesto and then top with halved grape tomatoes. 
  • Next, pour the lemon garlic sauce on top of the chicken and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts. 

Notes

*If you are preparing this recipe using chicken that has been refrigerated first, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to placing it in the oven or the chicken may not be hot enough when the cheese melts.
 
*Serving Size for 4oz Chicken Breast is as follows: (based on the specific ingredients used and does not include the ingredients used in brining as they as discarded so nutritional information might not be 100% accurate)
 

Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 31gFat: 18gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 303mgPotassium: 29mgSugar: 1g
Keyword chicken, copycat recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Berni says

    February 11, 2022 at 9:31 pm

    Just had this for the first time at Olive Garden and going to be my new favorite. Couldn't wait until I found a copycat recipe. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      February 13, 2022 at 10:10 am

      You're welcome, I hope you like my version!

      Reply
  2. Kathryn M Beck says

    January 10, 2022 at 8:56 pm

    I have made this twice now & although it does take some time , my boyfriend goes crazy over it! Serve it with homemade marinara ,pasta & broccoli & it is the bomb!! Thank you !!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      January 11, 2022 at 8:30 am

      It does take a bit longer to make, but it's one of our favorites as well. I'm so glad you like the recipe!

      Reply
  3. Carri says

    January 15, 2021 at 4:21 pm

    I commented back in March before I made this. I wanted to come back and say how good it was! I've actually made other similar recipes to this but this one is better. And as I said, it's low carb and suits my weight loss diet perfectly. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      January 17, 2021 at 2:40 pm

      I'm so glad you like the recipe Carri! Thanks so much for trying it. It was one of my favorite copycat recipes as well, loaded with flavor!!

      Reply
  4. Brittany c says

    January 02, 2021 at 4:41 am

    How many pieces for 376 calories? Yummy! Can’t wait to make!!!! :))

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      January 02, 2021 at 10:09 am

      I added the ingredients to MyFitnessPal.com and got the following information (I'll also add it to the recipe card for future reference)
      Serving Size for 4oz Chicken Breast is as follows: (based on the specific ingredients used and does not include the ingredients used in brining as they as discarded so nutritional information might not be 100% accurate)
      Calories 284
      Fat 18g
      Sodium 303mg
      Fiber 0g
      Sugar 1g
      Protein 31g

      I hope you enjoy the recipe Brittany!

      Reply
  5. Rudy says

    June 24, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    I love this at Olive Garden and it is not on their limited menu. I’m so happy to find this recipe. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      June 25, 2020 at 8:04 am

      You're welcome Rudy, I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  6. Carri says

    March 11, 2020 at 4:08 am

    I'm excited to make this on my next monthly menu. I am on a low carb diet and this recipe is perfect for it! So THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      March 12, 2020 at 6:16 pm

      You’re welcome I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  7. Liane slade says

    May 22, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    I Tried it following precisely however I used sea salt in the marinade instead of kosher and it came out too salty. Had it at Olive Garden and loved it. Will try again ☹️

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      May 22, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      I'm sorry it came out too salty for you and yes, sea salt would make it extra salty. If you use sea salt again, cut the amount in half and don't marinate as long. I do hope the recipe comes out better next time, it's one of my favorites!

      Reply
  8. Marie Czarnecki says

    November 21, 2018 at 10:27 pm

    I think this is a lot of work. I eat healthy for an 80 year old (young) and my SERVICE DOGGIES" eats the same,but when I have the time and the patience I will try this recipe.

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      November 22, 2018 at 9:37 am

      I hope you enjoy it Marie.

      Reply
  9. Sonya Brown says

    September 16, 2018 at 11:08 am

    Hello,
    would the chicken work as well if you bake it or cook it on the stove then complete the other steps? I'm trying to find alternatives so I won't have to light up the bbq grill.

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      September 16, 2018 at 2:20 pm

      If you have a grill pan, you can certainly grill the chicken or pan sear it in a saute pan on top of the stove. I'm sure you could bake it too, but I've never tried that so I'm not sure how long it would cook; however, you would lose the smokey flavor from the grill. It shouldn't matter too much, because most of the favor is in the sauce. Let me know how it turns out and I hope you enjoy the recipe Sonya!

      Reply
  10. Rachel says

    August 06, 2018 at 10:49 am

    Can I use the same amount of course sea salt instead of kosher salt? For recipe?

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      August 06, 2018 at 11:00 am

      Sea Salt is more potent so I'd use half of the amount or you can use regular table salt as well.

      Reply
  11. Karenality says

    January 20, 2018 at 12:08 am

    Mmmmm...so yummy!! I made this tonight along with the copycat zucchini recipe!! Turned out DELICIOUS!!! Thank you Carrie!!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      January 20, 2018 at 7:34 am

      I'm so glad you liked it, thanks for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Amy says

    January 04, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    Love it so much! I've made it a few times now! Curious if you've ever made the lemon sauce and freezed it for a later time? Do you think it would freeze well?

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      January 06, 2018 at 8:26 am

      I'm so glad you like the recipe Amy, I've made it myself a few times too! The sauce should freeze well as long as you use flour like the recipe states. Sauces that have been thickened with cornstarch and water; however, don't freeze very well and become congealed. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Amy says

    December 04, 2017 at 8:50 pm

    This was very delicious! Made it tonight and it was a definite win for me and the hubby!! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      December 05, 2017 at 6:19 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed it Amy! Thanks for stopping back to let me know, I really appreciate it. Happy Holidays!

      Reply
  14. Angelina says

    July 21, 2017 at 11:22 am

    YUM! This sounds 'delicioso', and looks amazing! I could almost taste it, while I was reading the recipe. My Italian in-laws (sometimes) enjoy "Olive Garden".... so I plan to serve this dish when they come for dinner this coming Tuesday. I will serve it with 'Olive Garden's Copycat Salad', NIX OG's (homemade) breadstick recipe, .... but DEFINATELY use 'The Pioneer Woman's Garlic Bread Recipe' instead. I'm sure that this dinner will be enjoyed by all, and that I will be making this dish over & over again in the future. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says

      July 22, 2017 at 6:48 am

      It's one of my new favorites off of their menu and how can you go wrong with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella?!! 🙂 I hope you all enjoy it!

      Reply

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