One of my VERY favorite quick and easy meals. Hot Chicken Pesto Sandwich. Creamy pesto may with grilled chicken, fresh melty mozzarella, plus fresh tomatoes and basil.

MAKING THIS PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICH A HOT

There are two ways you can heat this sandwich for the perfect melty goodness!

Panini press. This is my preferred method. It works the best with the fresh mozzarella.
Griddle. make just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS SANDWICH

Bread
Pesto
Mayo (great quality! (I like Trader Joes or Hellmans/Real Foods)
Fresh Mozzarella
Tomatoes
Fresh Basil

PRO TIP: You can grab already cooked grilled chicken strips in the deli section or the freezer section and use them for this hot sandwich.

HOW TO MAKE THE PESTO MAYO

This, to me, MAKE the SANDWICH AMAZING. It is everything.

Simply mix a really great tasting mayo (I like Trader Joes, or Real Foods/Heinz Mayo) with a pesto spread.

I like it to be 2 parts mayo to 1 part pesto.

STEPS TO MAKING A DELICIOUS CRIPSY PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICHES

STEP 1: Butter one side of a piece of bread

STEP 2: Flip bread over

Next spread pesto mayo over the opposite side
Add grilled chicken
Basil leaves
Sliced tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
MORE pesto mayo

Top with you last slice of bread and butter the top.

HEATING UP YOUR SANDWICH

Now your sandwich is ready to be grilled or placed in the panini press.

Heat until sandwich bread is toasted on each side and cheesy is melty!

PRO TIP: because you are using fresh mozzarella it needs a little more time than traditional mozzarella to melt so cook your sandwich on med-high heat, not high, or your bread will be done before your cheese it heated through.

CAN I USE REGULAR MOZZARELLA OR OTHER CHEESE?

OF COURSE! You can always use whatever cheese is your favorite. But the big cheesy fresh mozzarella is pretty hard to beat.

WHAT DO I SERVE THIS WITH?

This grilled chicken pesto sandwich is great to be served with

(I mean, honestly, lets be real) crunch potato chips, a pickle and a coke haha.

but if you want some home cooked sides make one of these and pair it with a fruit or veggie salad

MAKING THIS GLUTEN-FREE!

You can totally make this for my gluten-free diet using a great tasting gluten free bread like this Canyon Bakehouse white bread.

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Chicken Pesto Sandwich

This chicken pesto panini will be great on its own or paired with a steaming bowl of soup.

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 366kcal

Author: Kadee & Desarae

Ingredients

Instructions

in a small dish mix pesto and mayo together
Butter the outside of your bread.
On one, inside piece of bread spread on pesto mayo
Layer tomatoes, 2 basil leaves,chicken and cheese, topped with the other slice of bread.
Making sure butter side is facing outward, grill, or press in your panini until cheese is melted and Grooves are golden brown.
Serve with kettle chips

Notes