This mouth-watering Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich, made with crispy bread, tangy pesto, and juicy chicken, is perfect for lunch, dinner, or a snack.
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Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich
I need to stop writing these posts while hungry because my stomach is growling just thinking about this Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich!
Just imagine chicken breasts, fresh pesto, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and all the fixings on a ciabatta roll. It’s the perfect sandwich, y’all!
Plus, this recipe takes less than an hour and makes four sandwiches. Share ‘em with your friends and loved ones, or even your kids. It’s family-friendly and totally satisfying, as a good sandwich should be!
As a side note, the sandwich can be served hot or cold and can be enjoyed as a meal or a snack.
Chicken + pesto = HEAVENLY! I hope you enjoy it!
Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich: Ingredients & Equipment
For this Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
For the chicken
- chicken breasts – boneless and skinless! Cut ‘em in half lengthwise.
- olive oil – to cook your chicken.
- pesto – store-bought or homemade is fine!
- salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper – your various seasonings and spices! Don’t skip out on these!
To assemble
- ciabatta rolls – the best kind of bread for a pesto sandwich, in my humble opinion!
- tomato, pesto, mayo, mozzarella, olive oil – tasty, tasty sandwich fillings!
Equipment
- skillet – to cook your chicken.
- sheet tray – to assemble your sandwiches.
How to make Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich
First, prep and cook your chicken. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add your pesto, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Toss it all to coat the chicken. Then use a skillet to sear the chicken on both sides with olive oil, and continue cooking it in the oven until it reaches 160°F in the center.
Second, prep your rolls. Lay the rolls cut side down onto a sheet tray. Brush the tops and bottoms with olive oil. (It might seem like too much olive oil, but use it all!!) Flip the rolls, so they are cut side up. Spread the mayonnaise evenly on both sides of the cut rolls, then spread the pesto on both sides.
Next, assemble your sandwiches. On the bottom side of the roll, place one piece of chicken. Add two slices of mozzarella on top of the chicken and one slice of tomato. Crack some black pepper on top of the tomatoes if you want! Place the tops on the sandwiches.
Finally, cook your sandwiches. If you’re using a panini press, preheat it. Add as many sandwiches as will fit. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the sandwiches reach your desired toastiness and the cheese is melted. (The sandwiches are tall, so you may need to gradually press them down as they cook!) Serve them immediately.
Then … toast the rolls cut side down. Flip them over and add the mayonnaise, pesto, chicken, mozzarella, and tomato slices. Place the tops of the rolls back on top, and cook it all in the oven until warmed through and the cheese is melted (which takes about 10 minutes).
How to make this recipe without a panini press
If you don’t have a panini press: Follow the directions through step 2. Place a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil from the assembly step.
Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich: FAQs
This will make 4 toasted pesto chicken sandwiches. Of course, you can easily double, triple, etc., the recipe to feed a crowd!
This recipe only takes about 40 minutes! So, less than an hour for 4 warm and delicious sandwiches. Yum!
Ooh, you can definitely get creative here! Try …
– baguettes, Texas toast, focaccia, or sourdough for the bread
– Monterey jack, shredded Mozzarella, white cheddar, fontina, or provolone for the cheese
– caramelized onions, olive tapenade, basil leaves, roasted red peppers, or balsamic vinegar for other fillings
Other recipes you may enjoy
Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to make two thin slices
- 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To assemble
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ cup prepared pesto
- 1 beefsteak tomato thinly sliced
- freshly ground black pepper optional
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the pesto, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper, and toss to coat the chicken.
- Place an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. I like to use cast iron. Once hot, add the olive oil and sear the chicken on both sides. If using an oven-safe skillet, place it into the oven to continue cooking the chicken until it reaches 160°F in the center. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, place the chicken into a baking dish and place it in the oven.
- To assemble the sandwiches, lay the rolls cut side down onto a sheet tray. Brush the tops and bottoms with olive oil. It might seem like too much olive oil, but use it all.
- Flip the rolls, so they are cut side up. Spread the mayonnaise evenly on both sides of the cut rolls. Spread the pesto on both sides.
- On the bottom side of the rolls, place one piece of chicken. Add two slices of mozzarella on top of the chicken. Add one slice of tomato. Crack some black pepper on top of the tomatoes if desired. Place the tops on the sandwiches.
- Preheat your panini press if using. Add as many sandwiches as will fit. Cook for 5-7 minutes until your desired toastiness and the cheese is melted. The sandwiches are tall, so you may need to gradually press them down as they cook.
- Serve immediately.
To cook the sandwiches without the panini press:
- Follow the directions through step 2. Place a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil from the assembly step.
- Toast the rolls cut side down, then flip them over, and add the mayonnaise, pesto, chicken, mozzarella, and tomato slices. Place the tops of the rolls back on top.
- Place the skillet into the oven and cook until warmed through and the cheese is melted about 10 minutes.
Notes
- If your panini press is also a grill, you can cook the chicken directly on it.
- 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.
- These are best eaten right away. If they sit, they may become soggy. I suggest making the sandwiches fresh when you want one. They are so easy to put together. You can cook off the chicken beforehand and then assemble the sandwiches right before serving.
- If you do have 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.
- Use any hearty bread you want. We just prefer ciabatta for these. Other good bread options: sliced sourdough, focaccia, Texas toast, or a French or Italian baguette.
- Other yummy fillings to add – fresh basil leaves (they may brown when warm), roasted red bell pepper slices, caramelized onion, balsamic vinegar, or olive tapenade.
- Other good cheese: fontina, white cheddar, Monterey Jack, shredded mozzarella, or provolone.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
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