Fun, flavorful and minimal ingredients, this Pesto Chicken Sandwich is an easy and tasty lunch or dinner time recipe. Ready in less than an hour, these are filling and a family favorite.

We used to have these delicious paninis at one of our local grocers delis that I would literally drool over, unfortunately they stopped serving them. So what do you do when that happens? Make your own.

This Pesto Chicken Sandwich is absolutely packed full of flavor, but uses minimal ingredients. Chicken, pesto, spices, mozzarella, mayo and cheese, how can you go wrong with that.

These also feed a nice portion, making 4 hearty sandwiches that will keep your bellies full and satisfied. These are one of our families favorite recipes, anything with pesto is amazing in my book.

This is a great recipe to make for lunch or dinner, kids even love this. It is also easy to customize to your favorite toppings as well so the possibilities are in your hands.

Sandwiches are always a great go-to recipe and we try to keep a lot of different versions on hand to switch it up every now and again.

But if you are looking for something fresh and filling, then you need to absolutely throw together these Pesto Chicken Sandwiches ASAP!

Some of our other favorite sandwich recipes that we have on our site include: Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches, Pizza Grilled Cheese and Baked Italian Subs.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

With minimal and easy to find ingredients, these are quick to whip up.
Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
Fresh flavors really bring this sandwich together.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM):

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Prepared pesto
Kosher salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper
Olive oil
Ciabatta rolls
Mayonnaise
Beefsteak tomato
Fresh mozzarella

HOW TO MAKE A PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICH, STEP BY STEP:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl add the chicken, then add the pesto, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Toss everything togethering making sure to coat all the chicken.
Place an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.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 degrees F in the center, this is best to check using an internal thermometer. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, place the chicken into a baking dish and place it in the oven until it reaches 160 degrees F.
To assemble the sandwiches, lay the rolls cut side down onto a sheet tray. Brush the tops and bottoms with the olive oil, make sure to use it all. It may seem like a lot.
Flip the rolls over so they are cut side up. Then spread the mayonnaise evenly on both sides of the cut rolls. Then spread the pesto over the mayonnaise also on both sides.
On the bottom side of the roll, place one piece of chicken, two slices of mozzarella on top of the chicken and then one slice of tomato. Freshly crack some black pepper over the tomato if desired. Place the tops on the sandwiches.
Preheat your panini press if using, and add as many sandwiches that will fit. Cook for 5-7 minutes until your desired toastiness and the cheese is melted. The sandwiches are larger, so you may need to gently and gradually press down while cooking so nothing falls off. Slice if desired and serve.

CAN I USE HOMEMADE PESTO?

Absolutely, if you want to make your own homemade pesto go for it. We use prepared for this recipe as it is just quicker, but we love making our own pesto when we get the chance.

WHAT MOZZARELLA OR OTHER CHEESE IS BEST TO USE?

We use fresh mozzarella in this recipe, usually we take the mozzarella ball and slice it. That way you get the nice gooey melted cheese. In a pinch you can use sliced mozzarella as well.

Some other cheeses that work well for this Pesto Chicken Sandwich include Pepper Jack, Provolone, Gruyere, etc. Use whatever cheese that you think would complement the flavors of this sandwich.

CAN I USE ANOTHER BREAD?

I know that sometimes you can’t always find a ciabatta roll around. Other breads that would work great for this recipe would be sourdough, french bread, focaccia, french baguette, flatbread or any thick sturdy white bread.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A PANINI PRESS?

No worries if you do not have a panini press there are other options. You can use a grill pan and top the sandwiches with another heavier pan to press them down.

Also you can just bake these in the oven as well, place them into a baking pan and just bake until everything is melted. You can choose to weigh the sandwiches down if you’d like but they are still amazing without being “pressed”.

WHAT CAN I SERVE THESE SANDWICHES WITH?

These go great with a lot of different things, they are also great on their own. Some of our favorite things to serve these with include:

Side salad
Small cup of soup
French Fries
Macaroni Salad
Roasted vegetables

HOW TO STORE:

These are best when they are freshly made and we recommend just making them when you plan on eating them. If you do need to store them, place in an airtight container where they will keep for up to 1-2 days (they may become a little soggy).

To reheat, wrap in foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.

We DO NOT recommend freezing this recipe.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

If you do not want to cut your chicken breasts you can use thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts in their place.
Other breads can be used, see above for some suggestions.
We do not recommend freezing these sandwiches.
Other cheeses can be used, see above for options.
You can make your own homemade pesto if you’d prefer.
These can be baked in the oven or made in a grill pan if you do not have a panini press.
Other toppings that would go great on these would be other cheeses (see above for ideas), bacon, fresh basil, try a sun dried tomato pesto, sauteed onions, etc.

Want that flavorful summer sandwich that you will be wanting to make over and over again? Look no further than this Pesto Chicken Sandwich, easy, tasty and filling.

If you like this recipe you might also like:

If you’ve tried this PESTO CHICKEN SANDWICH or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!

Pesto Chicken Sandwich