Love Italian food? Then you’re going to crave this Pesto Chicken Sandwich! Melty mozzarella, tomatoes & pesto chicken make the perfect bite!
Why We Love Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
- The flavor combination of this pesto chicken sandwich is so freaking good! It’s basically caprese with pesto chicken on a toasty bun. Yum!
- You can 100% make the chicken ahead of time and bake the sandwiches when you’re ready to eat. It’s a great time saver for a quick meal.
- This sandwich doesn’t have to be served warm, but oh my gosh it’s pretty fabulous with all that melted mozzarella cheese. It’s like a hug on a plate from grandma.
- Turn this sandwich into sliders for a gameday menu option. It’s super easy! Just cut the chicken breasts in half after cooking, pop them on slider buns instead of big rolls, top ’em, and bake them on a baking sheet until the cheese melts. It’s all about options friends.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make a Chicken Pesto Mozzarella Sandwich
CHICKEN: We’re using boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. You can either buy 2 medium-sized breasts and cut them in half lengthwise or buy 4 thin-cut breasts.
SEASONINGS: The chicken gets seasoned with garlic powder, onion, powder, salt, and pepper.
BREAD: Since these are basically paninis, we’re using ciabatta bread. You need nice sturdy bread to hold up to the filling of this sandwich. Can’t have the bread getting soggy and falling apart on ya.
TOPPINGS: The pesto chicken gets topped with mayo, more pesto, fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and extra pepper (if you want a little sprinkle).
How to Make a Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Add the chicken breasts to a mixing bowl and toss with pesto, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until coated.
STEP 2 Cook the chicken in a hot skillet with some olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
STEP 3 Preheat your panini press. (If you don’t have one, see my other cooking options below.) Place the ciabatta roll halves cut side down and brush the outside of the rolls with olive oil. Flip ’em back over and brush the cut sides of each roll with mayo and then pesto. Top the bottom roll with a piece of pesto chicken, 2 slices of mozzarella, and 1 slice of tomato. Then put the roll top in place.
STEP 4 Place the sandwiches on the hot panini press (however many will fit). Cook them for 5-7 minutes to your desired toastiness level. The sandwiches are tall, so you may need to gradually press them down as they cook. Take them off the press and serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
- If you end up with leftover sandwiches, I recommend warming them up in the oven wrapped in foil. If not, the bread may become too hard and toasted. Do not freeze these sandwiches for later.
- Suggested bread substitutions: sliced sourdough, focaccia, Texas toast, or a French or Italian baguette.
- Suggested cheese substitutions: fontina, white cheddar, Monterey Jack, shredded mozzarella, or provolone.
- Other filling suggestions: fresh basil leaves (they may turn brown when warmed), sliced roasted red bell pepper, caramelized onions, balsamic glaze, or olive tapenade.
- Want to mix things up? Serve these sandwiches open-faced! (They’re really pretty and you can eat ’em with a fork and knife.) Use two ciabatta rolls instead of four. Then assemble the sandwiches as directed without a top bun in place. You’ll have 4 open-faced sandwiches that get baked in the oven.
To cook the sandwiches without the panini press:
- Prepare the pesto chicken as directed. Wipe out the cast iron (or oven-safe) skillet and place it back over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
- Toast the rolls cut side down in the hot oil until golden, then flip them over. Add the mayonnaise, pesto, chicken, mozzarella, and tomato slices as directed. Place the tops of the rolls over the sandwich filling.
- Put the skillet into a 350 degrees F oven and cook until the cheese has melted and the sandwiches are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
*Alternatively, if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can place the prepared sandwiches onto a baking sheet and then place them in the oven to bake.
Chicken Sandwich with Pesto FAQ
What condiments go best on a chicken sandwich?
This is an Italian-style sandwich so we’re using mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto. To mix things up, here are some toppings suggestions for your chicken sandwich.
- Chipotle mayo with avocado and lettuce
- Sriracha mayo with cabbage slaw and cilantro
- Honey mustard with bacon and Muenster cheese
- Teriyaki sauce and a pineapple slice
What goes with pesto chicken?
Pesto chicken is delicious all by itself, but if you have leftovers or just want to dress up your favorite dish, I’ve got you covered. I love adding pesto chicken to chicken salad with Italian dressing and grilled chicken salad. I have leftovers, I’ll shred the chicken and use it for these yummy pesto chicken sliders.
If you’re making pesto chicken the star of your meal, these side dishes are a perfect pairing. Rice pilaf, twice-baked potatoes, eggplant parmesan, and fettuccine alfredo are all sure-fire winners to complete your meal.
What goes well with pesto?
Pesto is great on so many things. You can buy it premade at the store and whip a batch of homemade pesto in your food processor. I like to use it to make pesto chicken sliders and pesto mashed potatoes or toss it with some pasta.
Pesto is also great on grilled veggies, with fried ravioli for dipping, layered into a pesto cream cheese spread, served over caprese, and stirred into mayo for a pestos aioli that’ll take your sandwiches to the next level!
Other Recipes You May like
- Italian Meatball Sub Sandwiches
- Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Shrimp Scampi
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Mom’s Lasagna
Pesto Chicken Sandwich
Equipment
- Panini Press (see note)
Ingredients
Pesto Chicken
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4 thin-cut breasts)
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sandwiches
- 4 ciabatta rolls cut in half horizontally
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ cup pesto
- 1 beefsteak tomato thinly sliced
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella
- black pepper (optional)
Instructions
Pesto Chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise to create 4 thin-cut breasts. Place the chicken breasts into a large mixing bowl. Add the pesto, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl and toss to coat the chicken.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. (I like to use cast iron.) Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil and sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until it's cooked through (with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F).
Sandwiches
- To assemble the sandwiches, lay the rolls cut side down onto a sheet tray. Brush the tops and bottoms of the rolls with olive oil. (It might seem like too much olive oil, but use it all.)
- Flip the rolls over so they are cut side up. Spread the mayonnaise evenly on both sides of each roll, and then spread the pesto over the mayonnaise.
- On the bottom side of each roll, place one piece of pesto chicken. Then add two slices of mozzarella and one slice of tomato on top of the chicken. Sprinkle black pepper on top of the tomatoes, if desired. Place the tops of the rolls on the sandwiches.
- Preheat your panini press. Add as many sandwiches to the press as will fit. Cook for 5-7 minutes to your desired toastiness making sure the cheese is melted. The sandwiches are tall, so you may need to gradually press them down as they cook.
- Transfer to a plate and serve immediately. I like to cut the sandwiches in half after plating to make then a little easier to eat.
Notes
- Prepare the pesto chicken as directed. Wipe out the cast iron (or oven-safe) skillet and place it back over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
- Toast the rolls cut side down in the hot oil until golden, then flip them over. Add the mayonnaise, pesto, chicken, mozzarella, and tomato slices as directed. Place the tops of the rolls over the sandwich filling.
- Put the skillet into a 350 degrees F oven and cook until the cheese has melted and the sandwiches are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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