Chicken Pesto Sandwich (Printable Version)
Grilled chicken, basil pesto, mozzarella and tomato on toasted ciabatta—ready in 30 minutes for lunch or dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Pesto
05 - 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
→ Sandwich Components
06 - 4 ciabatta rolls or sturdy sandwich buns
07 - 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 large ripe tomato, sliced
09 - 1 cup baby arugula or spinach leaves
10 - 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for toasting bread)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Slice chicken breasts horizontally to form thinner cutlets. Drizzle each with olive oil and evenly season with salt and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked and golden. Remove from pan and allow to rest for 2 minutes, then slice if preferred.
04 - If desired, lightly butter open sides of each roll. Toast cut sides face-down on the grill pan or skillet until golden brown.
05 - Spread an ample layer of basil pesto onto the base of each roll.
06 - Arrange grilled chicken, mozzarella slices, fresh tomato, and arugula or spinach atop the pesto layer. Complete with the remaining half of the bread roll.
07 - Serve assembled sandwiches warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- You can pile it high with as much juicy chicken or zippy pesto as you like without any kitchen rules holding you back.
- The balance of crunchy bread, creamy cheese, and fresh greens turns even the most ordinary lunch into something you'll crave all week.
02 -
- Slicing chicken too thick once left me impatiently waiting for the inside to cook through—split them thin for perfect timing.
- I discovered that toasting the bread, not just the chicken, kept all those lovely juices inside where they belong.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest before slicing to keep it juicy and tender.
- Fresh mozzarella always trumps pre-sliced—its melt is worth the tiny splurge.