Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Posted: 03/18/21
Updated: 11/20/21
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This toasted chicken pesto sandwich brings the bistro right to your kitchen! Warm, toasty bread, juicy chicken and tomatoes, and creamy, melty mozzarella accented by Italian seasoning and buttery pesto.
What Makes This Sandwich So Good
- It’s an incredible hot sandwich option! Move over deli meat. This chicken pesto sandwich is full of amazing Italian flavors, and then it’s lightly toasted in a skillet to make the mozzarella nice and melty.
- It’s super filling but super light. Even with the oil in the pesto, you won’t feel weighed down after enjoying every bite.
Key Ingredients
Pesto – Pesto, from the Italian for “to pound or crush”, was originally made by crushing the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Nowadays most people just use a food processor or a blender if they’re making their own. It’s a little oily, with garlic, basil, pine nuts, and a little Parmesan. No need to make your own if you don’t want to, though! Store-bought pesto is perfect for this chicken pesto sandwich.
Ciabatta – Oh, I love a good ciabatta! It might just be the perfect sandwich bread. It’s a traditional white Italian bread that’s a little dense and a little chewy, but has this amazing crust. You can use your favorite bread or roll in this recipe if ciabatta isn’t your thing, though. A nice sourdough would work, as would almost any Italian bread.
Chef’s Tips
- If you’ve got a panini press, fire it up! Instead of toasting your assembled sandwich in the frying pan toward the end, press it in the panini press. It’ll give you a beautiful even toast and press everything together into a melty, creamy, hot sandwich.
- Feel free to make this sandwich your own! You might enjoy adding a little arugula or spinach, using sun-dried tomatoes instead of Roma, or using Swiss or provolone instead of mozzarella.
More Easy and Delicious Recipes
- Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
- Keto Grilled Cheese
- Marry Me Chicken
- Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
Chicken Pesto Sandwich
This toasted chicken pesto sandwich brings the bistro right to your kitchen! Warm, toasty bread, juicy chicken and tomatoes, and creamy, melty mozzarella accented by Italian seasoning and buttery pesto.
sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 pound
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil plus more for finishing
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise divided, optional
- ⅓ cup pesto divided
- 4 Roma tomatoes sliced
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Internal meat thermometer
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 3 chicken cutlets. Season both sides of each piece with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- In large pan, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on both sides for approximately 5 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.
- Remove chicken from pan and replace with ciabatta roll halves. Toast for a minute or so on each side, until lightly golden. You may need to toast two rolls at a time depending on the size of your pan.
- To assemble, lay toasted ciabatta roll halves on cutting board. Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on one half of each roll (4 tablespoons total). Spread 1¼ tablespoons of pesto on other half of each roll (approximately ⅓ cup total).
- Add one cutlet of chicken to each sandwich.
- Add 1½ ounces of mozzarella to each sandwich (6 ounces total).
- Add slices of 1 Roma tomato to each sandwich (4 tomatoes total).
- Add the ciabatta roll with pesto to the rest of the sandwich. Lightly brush avocado oil on top roll, then return sandwiches to warm skillet. Cook each sandwich for 2 minutes per side, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately and enjoy hot.
Notes
- Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftover sandwiches for one day.
- Reheating: For best results, wrap sandwiches in foil and heat in oven until food is heated through.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 541kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 892mg, Potassium: 407mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1268IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 278mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 30g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
This was so amazing! A caprese sandwich on ciabatta would be my last meal for sure. I used thinly sliced garlic herb chicken from the deli! So delicious!
Isn’t it delicious?! One of my favorite sandwiches, for sure! Thanks so much for sharing ♥
Yummy! This was quick and delicious. Thank you
Thank you so much for your review! So happy you enjoyed the sandwich!