Chicken Pesto Sandwich (Printable Version)
Grilled chicken, basil pesto, tomato and mozzarella on toasted ciabatta for a quick, flavorful lunch or casual 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
→ 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
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Slice chicken breasts horizontally to form thin cutlets. Drizzle with olive oil and season evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until fully cooked and nicely golden. Remove from heat and rest for 2 minutes before slicing if desired.
04 - If desired, lightly butter the inside of each roll. Toast cut sides on the grill pan or skillet until golden brown.
05 - Spread a generous layer of pesto onto the bottom half of each roll.
06 - Layer grilled chicken, mozzarella slices, tomato, and baby arugula or spinach on the prepared rolls. Close with the top half.
07 - Serve sandwiches warm or at room temperature.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- This sandwich is ridiculously easy to put together but feels a little fancy every time.
- The combination of melting mozzarella, juicy chicken, and garlicky pesto is the reason it never lasts long in my house.
02 -
- Once I tried skipping the bread toasting and instantly regretted how soggy things got by the last bite.
- Letting the chicken rest just those couple minutes before slicing really keeps it moist inside the sandwich.
03 -
- Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the pesto—it’s the flavor glue that holds everything together.
- Stack ingredients while the chicken is hot so the mozzarella goes delightfully gooey.